Following a triumphant four days of action, Queens (Charlotte) will be hosting a welcome home part in Charlotte this evening.
Meanwhile, the CSCAA named its NCAA D2 awards, including Patricia Castro Ortega and Dion Dreesens of Queens both being named swimmers of the meet.
Queens Press Release:
The Queens University of Charlotte Department of Athletics will be holding a welcome back party for the men’s and women’s swim teams beginning at 5 p.m., on March 13, 2016. The Royals are expected to arrive on campus around 5:30 p.m., in front of the Levine Center. Queens would like to extend an invitation to students, faculty and staff, and the city of Charlotte, as we welcome back our 2016 NCAA Division II Swimming and Diving National Champions.
The men’s and women’s swim teams captured their second consecutive titles last night as they claimed the 2016 trophies. The women’s team tabbed 567 points to top the competition with a 202.5 gap. The men’s team tallied 449 points over the four days to claim the trophy with a 66.5 point difference.
For the second year running, Patricia Castro-Ortega was named the Women’s Swimmer of the Meet, as voted on by swimming coaches in attendance. The men’s team also reclaimed the award as Dion Dreesens landed the nod from the meet.
CSCAA Press Release:
Diving Awards:
The CSCAA DII Female Diver of the Year Award was presented to Monica Amaral from the University of West Florida. For the second year in-a-row the Male Diver of the Year Award went to Collin Vest from Clarion University. Amaral swept both boards winning the the 3-Meter competition with a score of 550.20 and scored 494.40 on the 1-Meter board to help lead the Argonauts to a 6th place team finish. Her coach, Barbara Parker, was selected as the CSCAA DII Women’s Team Diving Coach of the Year.
Swimming Awards:
For the second straight year Patricia Castro-Ortega from Queens University of Charlotte was named the CSCAA DII Female Swimmer of the Year. Castro-Ortega won four individual titles, all in record time for the second time in as many years to lead the Royals to their second NCAA team title. Castro-Ortega will go into the record books individually in the 200 Individual Medley (1:55.63), 400 Individual Medley (4:08.56), 500 Freestyle (4:39.28), and 100 Freestyle (48.54).
Junior Dion Dreesens, from Queens University of Charlotte, was named the CSCAA DII Male Swimmer of the Year after winning 3 individual events and leading his team to their second NCAA DII Championship. Dreesens established new DII records in the 200 Freestyle (1:32.46) and 500 Freestyle (4:17.09). Dreesens also won the 1000 Freestyle in 9:01.79, placed 3rd in the 100 Freestyle and led off Queen’s record setting 800 Freestyle Relay.
Kirk Sanocki of Wingate University won the CSCAA DII Women’s Team Coach of the Year after leading his team to a second place finish, the highest ever for a Wingate team in any women’s sport. Sanocki is a past president of the CSCAA.
First-year head coach Mike Blum of Florida Southern College was named the CSCAA DII Men’s Team Coach of the Year after leading his team to a 3rd place finish. The Florida Southern grad was named head coach mid-summer after serving as an assistant and interim head coach.
