Cincinnati’s Owen Chiles (swimmer), Utah’s Elias Petersen (diver) and Cincinnati’s Benson Wong (newcomer) were tabbed as the recipients of the Big 12 Men’s Swimming and Diving weekly awards for competition ending Dec. 7. On the women’s side, Kansas’ trio of Gabi Dyer (swimmer), Shiyun Lai (diver) and Sammy Cummins (co-newcomer) were joined by Cincinnati’s Tiara Vroom (co-newcomer) to round out the Conference’s weekly honors.
Chiles led the Bearcats against Indiana, posting second-place finishes in the 50-yard freestyle (20.35), 200-yard individual medley (1:48.24) and contributing to both silver medals in the 200-yard medley relay (1:29.34) and 200-yard freestyle relay (1:22.88). He is the second Bearcat to be named the Big 12 Men’s Swimmer of the Week this season and it is the third Conference weekly award of his career after being named the Big 12 Men’s Newcomer of the Week twice in the 2024-25 season.
Petersen reached the finals and recorded podium finishes in all three events at the Big Al Invitational hosted by Princeton. His results included a season-high and his second first-place finish of the season in the 1-meter dive (334.85), a silver medal in the 3-meter (357.05), and a third-place result on platform (290.95). The senior from Utah helped the Utes secure a 2-3-4 finish on platform and was one of four Utes to advance to the finals at the meet. It is his first weekly award this season and the fourth of Peterson’s career.
Wong recorded two runner-up finishes for the Bearcats against Indiana as he finished second in both the 100-yard breaststroke (54.10) and 200-yard breaststroke (1:58.12). The fifth-year student who competed for the Hoosiers last season is the second Bearcat to be named Big 12 Men’s Newcomer of the Week this season.
Dyer highlighted her weekend in Houston with gold medals in the 200-yard freestyle (1:49.06) and 500-yard freestyle (4:52.00), winning the latter by over three seconds. The sophomore from Castle Pines, Colorado helped the Jayhawks to a 153-147 team win against the Cougars. It is the first Big 12 weekly recognition of her career.
Lai swept the diving competition at Houston, taking first in both the 3-meter (369.23) and 1-meter (334.43) events as the Jayhawks placed two in the top three of both events. This is Lai’s third Big 12 weekly award of the season and 10
th of her career.
Cummins posted a personal record of 4:24.03 in the 400-yard IM to claim runner-up honors, as well as a bronze medal in the 200-yard butterfly (2:00.57) at Houston. Cummins was one of three Jayhawks to record personal bests at the meet. It is her second Big 12 weekly recognition this season.
Vroom notched two second-place finishes for Cincinnati in the 200-yard butterfly (2:01.18) and 500-yard freestyle (4:53.33) against Indiana. The freshman is the second Bearcat in program history to be named Big 12 Women’s Newcomer of the Week and the first since the 2023-24 season.
Men’s Swimmer of the Week: Owen Chiles, Cincinnati
Men’s Diver of the Week: Elias Peterson, Utah
Men’s Newcomer of the Week: Benson Wong, Cincinnati
Women’s Swimmer of the Week: Gabi Dyer, Kansas
Women’s Diver of the Week: Shiyun Lai, Kansas
Women’s Co-Newcomers of the Week: Tiara Vroom, Cincinnati & Sammy Cummins, Kansas