University of Minnesota Athletics
FREEMAN AWARDED NATIONAL COLLEGIATE AND SCHOLASTIC SWIMMING TROPHY
5/28/1999 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming & Diving
The National Collegiate and Scholastic Swimming Trophy is the highest award of its kind in the United States. It is presented annually to an individual for having contributed in an outstanding way to swimming as a competitive sport and healthful recreational activity at schools and colleges. Freeman is the first female to win the award in its 41-year history.
Freeman led Minnesota to its first-ever Big Ten Conference championship in 1999 and was named the conference's swimming coach of the year for the fourth time. In her 26 years, her career dual meet record is 178-50-3, with 24 winning seasons. She has coached 139 Big Ten champions and 160 All-Americans.
The Golden Gopher swimming team is very active in the community as well. The Gophers are involved with YWCA and YMCA community service programs and work closely with the USS team. Freeman has worked to introduce competitive swimming to the inner-city junior high school youths of Minneapolis.