ROCHESTER, N.Y. – RIT Men's Swimming and Diving team swept all four major Liberty League awards, announced Monday, March 27.
Junior
Mike Atanasoff was named the Liberty League Swimmer of the Year, sophomore
Gellert Kish was the Diver of the Year, and first-year
Miles Lim was the Rookie of the Year. Head coach
Phil Baretela, diving coach
Cliff Devries and assistant coach Phoebe Huey were named Liberty League Coaching Staff of the Year.
Atanasoff won the 50 freestyle and the 100 butterfly to earn Liberty League Swimmer of the Meet honors at the Liberty League Championships. He won the 50 freestyle in a Liberty League and program record time of 20.13 and the 100 butterfly with a league and program-record time of 48.28. A three-time Liberty League Swimmer of the Week, Atanasoff was part of four relays that set program records at the Liberty League Championships. He qualified for the NCAA Championships for the first time in his career, competing in the 50 and 100 freestyle and the 100 butterfly.
Kish was the Liberty League Diver of the Meet for the second straight year at the Liberty League Championships. He won the 3-meter title with a score of 530.00 and the 1-meter championship with a score of 530.45. Kish placed fifth in both events at the NCAA Diving Regional with scores of 506.35 (3-meter) and 480.55 (1-meter). The five-time Liberty League Diver of the Week was named an alternate diver to the NCAA Championship.
Lim finished second in the 200 butterfly and 200 freestyle at the Liberty League Championships to help the Tigers to its second straight Liberty League title. The six-time Liberty League Rookie of the Week posted a time of 1:50.52 in the 200 butterfly at the Liberty League Championships and a time of 1:40.88 in the 200 freestyle. Lim swam a leg in the 800 freestyle relay that finished second in a program-record time of 6:49.76.
Baretela, Devries and Huey earn Liberty League Coaching Staff of the Year honors for the third straight year. They led the Tigers to a 12-0 record in dual meets and the team's second straight league title, while Atanasoff and junior
Drew Scheib qualified for the NCAA Championships. The Tigers were ranked No. 18 in the CSCAA Division III poll for the first time in program history.