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Gopher Swim & Dive Announces Captains for 2019-20 Season
9/19/2019 3:58:00 PM | Men's Swimming & Diving, Women's Swimming & Diving
MINNEAPOLIS – Minnesota Swimming & Diving head coach Kelly Kremer announced Thursday that the team has selected its captains for the 2019-20 season.
Seniors Madison Preiss and Tevyn Waddell will serve as captains for the women's team, while seniors Tuomas Pokkinen and Matthew Thomas will be tasked with leading the men. In addition, senior Jeremy Moser was named diving captain.
"We are very excited about the five seniors that will lead our program in the pool and in the diving well," said Kremer. "Gopher Athletics has made student-athlete development and leadership a priority, and we are seeing that translate to our team."
Among the newly appointed quartet, Pokkinen serves as the only returning captain from the 2018-19 campaign. Pokkinen earned Honorable Mention All-America honors last season in the 400 medley relay after leading a relay team that finished tenth at the NCAA Championships. At the Big Ten Championships, Pokinnen was a member of the 200 free relay and 400 medley relay teams that finished third, while also placing fifth in the 200 medley relay, 10th in the 100 IM and 12th in the 100 fly. He also earned All-America Honorable Mention in 2016-17 as part of Minnesota's record-breaking 400 free relay team.
Pokinnen will be joined by Thomas, who was also a member of last year's 200 medley relay and 200 free relay teams at the Big Ten Championships. Thomas also finished 12th in the 200 fly and 14th in the 100 fly at the Big Ten meet. In the 2017-18 season, Thomas competed at the NCAA Championships, working with Pokkinen to power the 200 medley relay team to a 14th overall finish, while placing 18th in the 200 free relay and 24th in the 400 free relay.
On the women's side, Waddell returns for her senior season after being named an All-American in the 400 medley relay in 2018-19, as well as Honorable Mention All-America in the 800 free relay and 200 medley relay. Waddell was an All-American in the 400 medley relay and 200 medley relay as a sophomore, achieving top-six finishes in the NCAA in both events. Also in 2017-18, she placed 16th at the NCAA Championships in the 100 back and was awarded All-American Honorable Mention honors. As a freshman, Waddell was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year and to the All-Big Ten team, while receiving a trio of Honorable Mention All-America honors in the 800 free relay, 200 medley relay and 400 medley relay.
Rounding out the group, Preiss enters her final season as a Gopher after claiming a handful of top-ten finishes a year ago. An Academic All-Big Ten selection, Preiss placed sixth in the 200 IM against Purdue and Northwestern, as well as third in the same event against USC and Oregon State. Preiss also touched the wall fourth in both the 100 breast and 200 IM at the Hawaii Dual. As a sophomore, she placed 17th in the 100 breast at the Big Ten Championships, one year after earning Minnesota's Outstanding Student-Athlete Award as a freshman.
Moser, the newly-appointed diving captain, finished ninth in the one-meter dive at the Big Ten Championships last season. At the 2018 Big Ten Championships, he placed 10th in the one-meter, 19th in the three-meter and 21st in the platform. Moser was also a recipient of the Outstanding Student-Athlete Award as a freshman.
New to this season, the Gophers will also be announcing a leadership council for the 2019-20 campaign in the near future. The council will include representatives from every class and serve as an extension of the team captains.
The Gophers officially begin their 2019-20 season when the Florida Gators visit Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center on Oct. 11. at 6pm.
Seniors Madison Preiss and Tevyn Waddell will serve as captains for the women's team, while seniors Tuomas Pokkinen and Matthew Thomas will be tasked with leading the men. In addition, senior Jeremy Moser was named diving captain.
"We are very excited about the five seniors that will lead our program in the pool and in the diving well," said Kremer. "Gopher Athletics has made student-athlete development and leadership a priority, and we are seeing that translate to our team."
Among the newly appointed quartet, Pokkinen serves as the only returning captain from the 2018-19 campaign. Pokkinen earned Honorable Mention All-America honors last season in the 400 medley relay after leading a relay team that finished tenth at the NCAA Championships. At the Big Ten Championships, Pokinnen was a member of the 200 free relay and 400 medley relay teams that finished third, while also placing fifth in the 200 medley relay, 10th in the 100 IM and 12th in the 100 fly. He also earned All-America Honorable Mention in 2016-17 as part of Minnesota's record-breaking 400 free relay team.
Pokinnen will be joined by Thomas, who was also a member of last year's 200 medley relay and 200 free relay teams at the Big Ten Championships. Thomas also finished 12th in the 200 fly and 14th in the 100 fly at the Big Ten meet. In the 2017-18 season, Thomas competed at the NCAA Championships, working with Pokkinen to power the 200 medley relay team to a 14th overall finish, while placing 18th in the 200 free relay and 24th in the 400 free relay.
On the women's side, Waddell returns for her senior season after being named an All-American in the 400 medley relay in 2018-19, as well as Honorable Mention All-America in the 800 free relay and 200 medley relay. Waddell was an All-American in the 400 medley relay and 200 medley relay as a sophomore, achieving top-six finishes in the NCAA in both events. Also in 2017-18, she placed 16th at the NCAA Championships in the 100 back and was awarded All-American Honorable Mention honors. As a freshman, Waddell was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year and to the All-Big Ten team, while receiving a trio of Honorable Mention All-America honors in the 800 free relay, 200 medley relay and 400 medley relay.
Rounding out the group, Preiss enters her final season as a Gopher after claiming a handful of top-ten finishes a year ago. An Academic All-Big Ten selection, Preiss placed sixth in the 200 IM against Purdue and Northwestern, as well as third in the same event against USC and Oregon State. Preiss also touched the wall fourth in both the 100 breast and 200 IM at the Hawaii Dual. As a sophomore, she placed 17th in the 100 breast at the Big Ten Championships, one year after earning Minnesota's Outstanding Student-Athlete Award as a freshman.
Moser, the newly-appointed diving captain, finished ninth in the one-meter dive at the Big Ten Championships last season. At the 2018 Big Ten Championships, he placed 10th in the one-meter, 19th in the three-meter and 21st in the platform. Moser was also a recipient of the Outstanding Student-Athlete Award as a freshman.
New to this season, the Gophers will also be announcing a leadership council for the 2019-20 campaign in the near future. The council will include representatives from every class and serve as an extension of the team captains.
The Gophers officially begin their 2019-20 season when the Florida Gators visit Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center on Oct. 11. at 6pm.
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