Cincinnati’s trio of Ramez Diaa (men’s diver), Joleigh Crye (women’s co-swimmer) and Taira Vroom (women’s newcomer) were joined by Arizona’s Zara Ayazi (women’s diver), Iowa State’s Grace Swoboda (women’s co-swimmer), TCU’s Edgar Cicanci (men’s swimmer) and Utah’s Nolan Dunkel (men’s newcomer) as the recipients of this week’s Big 12 swimming and diving awards.
Cicanci swept both backstroke events at the Sterkel Classic, picking up wins in the 100 (46.76) and 200 backstroke (1:44.46). The senior was one of seven Horned Frogs to earn a gold medal in Austin. It is his first weekly Conference award this season and the second of his career.
Diaa took three of four diving event titles for Cincinnati across competitions with Kentucky and Louisville. The sophomore earned wins on the platform (372.38) against the Cardinals and the 3-meter (380.10) and 1-meter (333.90) boards against the Wildcats. He also added a fourth-place finish in the 1-meter dive versus Louisville. It is the sophomore’s second Big 12 recognition this season and the fourth of his career.
Dunkel contributed four medals in Utah’s dual meet against SMU, highlighted by an individual win in the 100 butterfly (48.10). He also added a second-place finish in the 100 backstroke (47.28). Dunkel tacked on a 21.74 leadoff split on the Utes’ winning 200 medley relay (1:27.77) and a 19.96 split in the 200 free relay that finished second. The sophomore has now been named the Big 12 Men’s Newcomer of the Week twice this season.
Crye won three events in Cincinnati’s meets with Kentucky and Louisville. The senior won the 50 freestyle (22.38) and contributed to the winning 200 medley relay (1:39.32) against Kentucky. She then won the 100 backstroke (58.70) against Louisville. It is her fifth Big 12 weekly award of her career.
Swoboda captured the 100 breaststroke in 1:00.45, breaking both the ISU school record and the Beyer Pool record in the Cyclones’ intrastate rivalry meet with Iowa. She added a third-place finish in the 100 freestyle (52.25) to complete her meet against the Hawkeyes. It is the first Conference weekly award of her career.
Ayazi excelled across three boards at a meet featuring eight schools. The senior won the 1-meter (591.10) and platform (546.65) events while finishing second in the 3-meter dive (585.55) for the Wildcats.
Vroom turned in two bronze-medal finishes in her meets against Kentucky and Louisville for Cincinnati. She placed third in the 200 butterfly (2:01.52) against Kentucky and third in the 1650 freestyle (16:54.97) at Louisville. She is the first Bearcat to be named Big 12 Women’s Newcomer of the Week this season.
Men’s Swimmer of the Week: Edgar Cicanci, TCU
Men’s Diver of the Week: Ramez Diaa, Cincinnati
Men’s Newcomer of the Week: Nolan Dunkel, Utah
Women’s Co-Swimmers of the Week: Joleigh Crye, Cincinnati and Grace Swoboda, Iowa State
Women’s Diver of the Week: Zara Ayazi, Arizona
Women’s Newcomer of the Week: Taira Vroom, Cincinnati