After claiming the men’s and women’s Big 12 Swimming and Diving Championships for the third-consecutive year, the Texas swimming and diving program headlines the 2014-15 Big 12 Swimming postseason awards. The Longhorns received eight of 10 awards this season. Honorees were selected by a vote of the league’s head coaches, who are not permitted to vote for their own student-athletes.
Women’s Swimmer of the Year
Madisyn Cox, Texas, Sr., Lubbock, Texas
Senior Madisyn Cox posted the top individual finishes by any Big 12 Conference swimmer this season and was the only Big 12 swimmer to reach the championship final at the NCAA Championships. She became the second-fastest Longhorn ever in the 200 IM behind Olympian Kathleen Hersey and placed third in the event (1:54.43 finals/1:54.88 prelims) at the NCAA Championships. Cox mirrored that effort and also became the second fastest Longhorn in the 400 IM, also behind Hersey, and recorded a fifth place finish in the event at the NCAA Championships. Cox also helped Texas record its first ever sweep at the Big 12 Championship and won individual titles in the 200 and 400 individual relays.
Men’s Swimmer of the Year
Will Licon, Texas, So., El Paso, Texas
Sophomore Will Licon defeated a pair of American record holders en route to his first NCAA titles in the 400 IM and 200 backstroke. He placed second in the 200 IM (1:40.09 finals/1:40.68 prelims) at the NCAA Championships, and it took an American record from the champion, Stanford’s David Nolan, to defeat Licon in the final as he again reached the podium with another top-three finish. Licon won the NCAA title in the 400 IM in a school and Big 12 record of 3:36.37 and defeated the event’s American record holder and reigning NCAA champion Chase Kalisz of Georgia by over three seconds. Licon also helped the Longhorns sweep the 2015 Big 12 Championship, claiming event titles in the 200 IM, 400 IM and 200 breast.
Women’s Diver of the Year
Murphy Bromberg, Texas, So., Bexley, Ohio
Bromberg was the lone Big 12 diver to reach a championship final and earn All-America honors at the NCAA Championships. She placed sixth in the platform championship final with a 297.55 after posting a 332.15 in prelims. Bromberg was also named the 2015 Big 12 Women’s Diver of the Meet after winning the 3 meter and platform events at the Big 12 Championship in Austin.
Men’s Diver of the Year
Mark Anderson, Texas, So., Lake Forest, California
Anderson was the only swimmer to score on all three boards at the NCAA Championship. He placed sixth in the platform finals with a 432.70 to earn his second straight All-America finish. Anderson also won the one-meter consolation final with a 411.75 to add to the Longhorns team total and eventually win the NCAA Men’s Swimming and Diving Championship.
Women’s Newcomer of the Year
Kasey Roberts, Iowa State, Fr., St. Michael, Minn.
Freshman Kasey Roberts exploded onto the Big 12 scene for Iowa State during the 2014-15 season, placing top-five in all six events she competed in during the 2015 Big 12 Swimming and Diving Championship. Through her first season of collegiate competition, Roberts cruised to 20 event wins and an impressive 44 top-three finishes, earning ISU Newcomer of the Year recognition. In dual meets against conference opponents, Roberts finished third or better in every race, combining for five event wins against TCU, West Virginia and Kansas on the regular season.
Men’s Newcomer of the Year
Joseph Schooling, Texas, Fr., Singapore
Schooling won NCAA titles in the 100 and 200 butterfly and became the first Texas swimmer to win both events in his career. Schooling was the first Texas freshman swimmer to win an NCAA individual swimming title since Austin Surhoff in 2010 and the first UT freshman to win two NCAA individual swimming titles at the same NCAA Championship since Brendan Hansen in 2001. Schooling set school and Big 12 records on his way to his first NCAA individual title, as he won the 100 fly in 44.51 at the NCAA Championships. Schooling’s swim broke the 14-year-old school and Big 12 records set by Olympic gold medalist Ian Crocker. The freshman helped Texas set NCAA, U.S. Open and NCAA Championship meet records in the 400 medley relay, as UT won the event in 3:01.23. Schooling’s split of 43.95 on the butterfly leg helped Texas close the gap behind California.
Women’s Swimming Coach of the Year
Carol Capitani, Texas
Head coach Carol Capitani guided the Texas women to a seventh place finish at the 2015 NCAA Swimming and Diving Championship in her third year as head coach for the Longhorns. As a team, UT claimed four top-five finishes in championship finals, and four top-five finishes in consolation finals including winning the 400 Medley Relay in a time of 3:30.98.
Men’s Swimming Coach of the Year
Eddie Reese, Texas
Head coach Eddie Reese guided the Longhorns to their 19th consecutive Big 12 Title and their 11th NCAA Title. UT finished 129 points ahead of California who won the NCAA Title in 2014. The win this season marked the Longhorns' second straight top-three finish and marked their 36th consecutive top-10 finish at the NCAA Championship. In his 37 seasons at UT, Reece has won 36 conference titles and has coached 54 NCAA individual champions and 41 NCAA champion relays.
Women’s Diving Coach of the Year
Jeff Warrick, Iowa State
In his 17th season at the helm of the Iowa State diving program, Warrick helped lead the Cyclones to an historic season. Due largely in part to the standout effort in the diving well, Iowa State claimed a second-place finish at the 2015 Big 12 Championship, the program’s best performance at a conference championship in the Big 12 era.
Men’s Diving Coach of the Year
Matt Scoggin, Texas
In his 21st season as the Texas head diving coach, Matt Scoggin earned his fourth consecutive men’s diving coach of the year honor. Coach Scoggin placed three Divers in the NCAA Championship and helped the Longhorns secure three top-10 performances in diving events.