IRVINE, Calif. — Good news continued for UC Santa Barbara swimming after the men's and women's team each took home a conference championship last week in Texas. The Big West, in its first year sponsoring swimming since the 2009-10 season, announced three Gauchos as end of season award recipients.
Fourth year head coach Jaclyn Rosen was named the best women's coach in the conference. Under her guidance, the team earned ten victories and two second-place finishes. During championships her team shined, increasing their point totals by almost 200 on each day of competition. This marks the second time in the last two years that Rosen has been named Coach of the Year.
Big West Women's Freshman of the Year went to Miranda Stevenson. The Alamo native was force at the Conference Championships. Stevenson earned two second place and two third place finishes in Houston. She placed second in the 50 yard freestyle event and then led off on the second place 400 yard freestyle relay team. Her third place finishes came in the 100 yard free style and anchoring the 200 yard medley relay. The freshman was named conference swimmer of the week in the first meet of her collegiate career (on the back of her four first-place finishes against Cal Poly).
Kyle Brill was named the Men's Swimmer of the Year. The senior had an incredible season which saw him rewrite the record books numerous times. He set the program's fastest times in the 200-yard breaststroke (1:54.79), 200-yard IM (1:43.53), 400-yard IM (3:45.46), 400 freestyle relay (2:46.99), and 400-yard medley relay (while in the second position). A bevy of these times are also conference records. During the Conference Championships Brill earned three first place finishes and two second place finishes. The Santa Clarita native earned first place in the 200 yard individual medley, the 400 yard individual medley and helped the 400 medley relay team to a first place finish. His second place finishes came in the 200 yard breaststroke event and helping the 200 yard medley relay team.
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At the start of March select Gauchos hoping to qualify for nationals will head to the University of Georgia for a Last Chance Invitational on the first and second.
