Dec. 12, 2007
IRVING, Texas -- The Big 12 has announced the Swimmers and Divers of the Week for meets from Nov. 23-Dec. 9. The University of Texas swept the weekly accolades with Michael Klueh (swim) and Matt Cooper (dive) winning on the men's side and Hee-Jin Chang (swim) and Mary Yarrison (dive) taking the women's awards. The winners were chosen by vote of the league's head swimming and diving coaches.
Men's Swimmer of the Week
Michael Klueh, Texas, Jr., Evansville, Ind.
Klueh broke UT's second-oldest school record when he set a new school mark in the 1,650 freestyle at the Texas Invitational. His time of 14:41.83 broke the previous school record of 14:42.02 set in 1994. Klueh's time in the event places him No. 1 in the nation. The junior also registered a NCAA automatic-qualifying mark in the 500 yard freestyle with a time of 4:14.71 and a NCAA provisional-qualifying mark of 3:49.19 in the 400 IM.
Men's Diver of the Week
Matt Cooper, Texas, Fr., Bethesda, Md.
Cooper swept all three diving events at the Texas Invitational. He claimed the one-meter event over 20 divers with a score of 328.85. The freshman then won the three-meter event with 378.70 points. On the platform, Cooper bested his nearest opponent by over 60 points with his first place score of 374.95. This is the second weekly award for Cooper after he took diver of the week honors earlier this season on Nov. 8.
Women's Swimmer of the Week
Hee-Jin Chang, Texas, Jr., Seoul, Korea
Chang registered two NCAA individual automatic-qualifying marks, two NCAA individual provisional-qualifying marks and swam on three NCAA provisional-qualifying relays at the annual Texas Invitational, Nov. 29-Dec. 1. The junior topped her lifetime bests in the 50 freestyle, 100 butterfly and 100 free. She swam a 22.62 in the prelims of the 50 free to pass her old career high by nearly three-tenths of a second and place her sixth in the nation. Her time in the 100 butterfly (54.16) outdid her previous performances by over one second and her time of 49.18 in the 100 freestyle gave her the 12th-fastest mark in the nation.
Women's Diver of the Week
Mary Yarrison, Texas, Sr., Springfield, Va.
Yarrison swept the springboard diving events at the Texas Invitational. She claimed the 36-competitor three-meter event with 337.60 points, topping her nearest opponent by nearly 40 points. She also captured the one-meter with 300.95 points. This is Yarrison's fourth career weekly accolade and first of the season.