Gophers Recognize 2021-22 Squad at Team Banquet

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota swimming and diving program honored its 2021-22 team Saturday at its annual awards banquet.

Sarah Bacon and Max McHugh highlighted this year's awards as the two received Most Valuable honors for the women's and men's teams, respectively.

Bacon, who was also recognized as the team's Diver of the Year, was the national champion on the 3-meter and NCAA Runner-Up on the 1-meter this year. She broke the Big Ten Championship record and the Minnesota school record on both the 1-meter and 3-meter to capture her second career titles on each board. For her efforts, she was named a two-time First-Team All-American this year, First-Team All-Big Ten and Big Ten Diver of the Championships.

The most decorated female in school history, Bacon's five individual titles (three on the 1-meter and two on the 3-meter) tie her for the most in Minnesota annals.

Like Bacon, McHugh also won a national title this year, doing so in the 100 breast as he posted the second fastest time in history. After becoming just the second person ever to go under 50 seconds in the event in the prelims at 49.95, McHugh went even lower and touched at 49.90. Lowering his personal record, the Minnesota school record and the pool record, McHugh became the third Gopher swimmer in history to repeat as a national champion.

In addition, McHugh was the runner-up in the 200 breast at NCAAs to earn a pair of All-America honors. He also swept the 100 and 200 breast titles at the Big Ten Championships for the second year in a row – including his third straight 100 breast title – to become the seventh swimmer in Big Ten history to win both breaststroke events in consecutive seasons. As a result, he was named to the 2022 All-Big Ten First Team.

Among the other awards handed out on Saturday were those for Hardest Worker and Most Improved.

McHugh, Tommy McCarthy, Chris Nagy and Desmon Sachtjen took home Hardest Worker honors on the men's side, while Hannah Cornish, Emma Linscott, Molly Urkiel and Megan Van Berkom captured the same award for the women's team.

The Gophers that were tabbed as Most Improved were Nagy, Sachtjen, William Christenson and Casey Stowe for the men, and Cornish, Van Berkom, Kate LaMonica, Emma Lezer and Paula Rodriguez Rivero for the women.

The W.I.N. Award goes to the individuals who do "Whatever is Needed" by stepping up and helping the team the most during meets. Jordan McGinty earned the accolade for the women, while Cameron Linder, Chris Morris and Bar Soloveychik did so for the men.

Selected by the strength coaches, the Iron Fish award goes to those who went above and beyond in their performance training. The 2021-22 recipients for this honor were Sachtjen, Urkiel and Av Osero.

The Jerry McCaul Award is given to an outstanding Minnesota swimmer or diver who best exemplifies the late Jerry McCaul's (1957-1979) enthusiasm and dedication to the sport. Jerry was the perfect teammate. He pushed you to succeed, yet wanted to beat you to the wall. He was both supportive and competitive, and always positive. This year's recipient was Sachtjen.

Jean K. Freeman was an outstanding alumna, coach, role model and a forever-loyal Gopher. The Jean K. Freeman Award goes annually to a female student-athlete who represents unyielding motivation and a committed spirit that is complimented with a deep-seeded dedication to personal growth. This year, that Gopher was Kelli McCarthy.

Named after the Minnesota alumna with the same name, the Dorothy L. Sheppard Award goes annually to a female student-athlete who values the science of swimming, international awareness and travel, and a competitive educational experience. The 2021-22 award winner was Emily Cook.

Finally, the women's team honors one student-athlete per season as their Spirit Award recipient. That student-athlete this season was Cornish.

During the awards banquet, the team also revealed the 2021-22 letterwinners, as well as recipients of the Outstanding Student-Athlete Award (cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher). This year, a grand total of 33 Gophers achieved the latter feat.

A full list of all the honorees can be found below.

Most Valuable
Sarah Bacon and Max McHugh

Diver of the Year
Sarah Bacon

Hardest Worker
Hannah Cornish, Emma Linscott, Molly Urkiel, Megan Van Berkom, Tommy McCarthy, Max McHugh, Chris Nagy and Desmon Sachtjen

Most Improved
Hannah Cornish, Kate LaMonica, Emma Lezer, Paula Rodriguez Rivero, Megan Van Berkom, William Christenson, Chris Nagy, Desmon Sachtjen and Casey Stowe

Women's Team Spirit Award
Hannah Cornish

Iron Fish
(Those who went above and beyond in their performance training)
Av Osero, Molly Urkiel and Desmon Sachtjen

W.I.N. Award
(Whatever is Needed)
Jordan McGinty, Cameron Linder, Chris Morris and Bar Soloveychik

Jean K. Freeman Award
(Female student-athlete who represents unyielding motivation and a committed spirit that is complimented with a deep-seeded dedication to personal growth)
Kelli McCarthy

Dorothy L. Sheppard Award
(Female student-athlete who values the science of swimming, international awareness and travel, and a competitive educational experience)
Emily Cook

Jerry McCaul Award
(Swimmer or diver who best exemplifies the late Jerry McCaul's enthusiasm and dedication to the sport)
Desmon Sachtjen

Outstanding Student-Athlete Award
(Cumulative GPA of at least 3.50)
Sarah Bacon, Grace Bennin, Olivia Bloomer, Rachel Butler, Emily Cook, Hannah Cornish, Dani Cramer, Holley Dennis, Maggie Erwin, Susanna Fish, Indy Jongman, Eliot Kennedy, Abbey Kilgallon, Emma Lezer, Emma Linscott, Kelli McCarthy, Jordan McGinty, Ella Miller, Kate Sullivan, Maggie Summit, Joy Zhu, Isaac Barrera, Jack Brown, William Christenson, James Freeman, Andrew Garner, Josh Johnston, Chris Morris, Chris Nagy, Gavin Olson, Shane Rozeboom, Desmon Sachtjen, Bar Soloveychik

2021-22 Letterwinners

First Year
Hannah Cornish, Kate LaMonica, Av Osero, Josh Johnston, Chris Morris and Bar Soloveychik

Second Year
Grace Bennin, Indy Jongman, Paula Rodriguez Rivero, Molly Urkiel, Megan Van Berkom, Joy Zhu, William Christenson, Lucas Farrar, James Freeman, Sawyer Grimes, Cameron Linder, Chris Nagy, Kaiser Neverman and Casey Stowe

Third Year
Rachel Butler, Emma Lezer, Emma Linscott, Jordan McGinty, Maggie Summit, Jake Butler, Gavin Olson, Ryan Phillip, Shane Rozeboom and Desmon Sachtjen

Fourth Year
Olivia Bloomer, Emily Cook, Abbey Kilgallon, Kelli McCarthy, Kate Sullivan, Tom Donker and Max McHugh

Fifth Year
Sarah Bacon and Cameron Kelley

Upcoming Events

University of Minnesota Athletics

Players Mentioned

Sarah Bacon

Isaac Barrera

Grace Bennin

Olivia Bloomer

Jack Brown

Jake Butler

Rachel Butler

William Christenson

Emily Cook

Hannah Cornish

Dani Cramer

Holley Dennis

Tom Donker

Maggie Erwin

Lucas Farrar

Susanna Fish

James Freeman

Andrew Garner

Sawyer Grimes

Josh Johnston

Indy Jongman

Cameron Kelley

Eliot Kennedy

Abbey Kilgallon

Kate LaMonica

Emma Lezer

Cameron Linder

Emma Linscott

Kelli McCarthy

Tommy McCarthy

Jordan McGinty

Max McHugh

Ella Miller

Chris Morris

Chris Nagy

Kaiser Neverman

Gavin Olson

Av Osero

Ryan Phillip

Paula Rodriguez Rivero

Shane Rozeboom

Desmon Sachtjen

Bar Soloveychik

Casey Stowe

Kate Sullivan

Maggie Summit

Molly Urkiel

Megan Van Berkom

Joy Zhu

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