S & D's Lochte Named SEC Male Athlete of the Year
Wednesday, June 22, 2005 | Men's Swimming & Diving
University of Florida junior Ryan Lochte (Daytona Beach, Fla./Spruce Creek HS) was honored Wednesday as the 2004-05 Roy F. Kramer Southeastern Conference Male Athlete of the Year in a vote by the league's athletics directors.
"Ryan had a spectacular season," Florida coach Gregg Troy said. "It was almost perfectly scripted. He earned it, it's well deserved and I'm very proud of him."
Lochte became the second Gator to win the award as he joined former Gator football star and two-time winner Danny Wuerffel (1996, 1997). Auburn swimmer Kirsty Coventry won the female award.
"Ryan and Kirsty are excellent representatives for their universities and this conference," SEC Commissioner Mike Slive said. "They have competed at the highest level and through their hard work, dedication and commitment have shown the true meaning of being a student-athlete. The SEC is very proud to honor these two student-athletes for their accomplishments. We congratulate them on their efforts and wish them the best in their future endeavors."
Lochte captured two medals in the 2004 Olympics in Athens, including a gold as a member of the U.S. 800-meter freestyle relay that set an American record in 7:07.33 and a silver in the 200-meter individual medley in a school record-time of 1:58.78 - the third-fastest time ever recorded in the history of the event.
During the 2004-05 season at Florida, Lochte was named the NCAA Swimmer of the Meet at the national championships and the SEC Swimmer of the Year, while also claiming the SEC Commissioner's Trophy as the high-point scorer at the SEC Championships. He accomplished the same feat at the 2004 U.S. Open as he tallied the most points of any swimmer.
In the pool during the past year, Lochte eclipsed two American, three U.S. Open, three NCAA, nine SEC and 10 Florida records. He won a pair of NCAA titles (200-yard individual medley, 200-yard backstroke) and was part of the NCAA champion 800-yard freestyle relay. Lochte swam to three individual titles at the SEC meet in winning the 200-yard backstroke, 200-yard individual medley and 400-yard individual medley and was a member of four relays (400-yard freestyle relay, 800-yard freestyle relay, 200-yard medley relay, 400-yard medley relay) that claimed SEC titles.
Past recipients of the SEC Athlete of the Year Award included: 2004 - Alistair Cragg, Arkansas (cross country/track) and Jeana Rice, Alabama (gymnastics); 2003 - Alistair Cragg, Arkansas (cross country/track) and LaToya Thomas, Mississippi State (basketball); 2002 - Walter Lewis, LSU(track & field) and Andree' Pickens, Alabama (gymnastics); 2001 - Matias Boeker, Georgia (tennis) and Amy Yoder Begley, Arkansas (cross country/track); 2000 - Kip Bouknight , South Carolina (baseball) and Kristy Kowal, Georgia (swimming); 1999 - Tim Couch, Kentucky (football) and Chamique Holdsclaw, Tennessee (basketball); 1998 - Peyton Manning, Tennessee (football) and Chamique Holdsclaw, Tennessee (basketball); 1997 - Danny Wuerffel, Florida (football) and Trinity Johnson, South Carolina (softball); 1996 - Danny Wuerffel, Florida (football) and Saudia Roundtree, Georgia (basketball); 1995 - Todd Helton, Tennessee (baseball) and Jenny Hansen, Kentucky (gymnastics); 1994 - Corliss Williamson, Arkansas (basketball) and Nicole Haislett, Florida (swimming); 1993 - Jamal Mashburn, Kentucky (basketball) and Nicole Haislett, Florida (swimming); 1992 - Shaquille O'Neal, LSU (basketball) and Vicki Goetze, Georgia (golf); 1991 - Shaquille O'Neal, LSU (basketball) and Daedra Charles, Tennessee (basketball); 1990 - Alec Kessler, Georgia (basketball) and Dee Foster, Alabama (gymnastics); 1989 - Derrick Thomas, Alabama (football) and Bridgette Gordon, Tennessee (basketball); 1988 - Will Perdue, Vanderbilt (basketball) and Dara Torres, Florida (swimming); 1987 - Cornelius Bennett, Alabama (football) and Lillie Leatherwood-King, Alabama (track and field); 1986 - Bo Jackson, Auburn (football) and Jennifer Gillom, Ole Miss (basketball); 1985 - Will Clark, Mississippi State (baseball) and Penney Hauschild, Alabama (gymnastics); 1984 - Terry Hoage, Georgia (football) and Tracy Caulkins, Florida (swimming); 1983 - Herschel Walker, Georgia (football/track and field); 1982 - Buck Belue, Georgia (football/baseball); 1981 - Rowdy Gaines, Auburn (swimming); 1980 - Kyle Macy, Kentucky (basketball); 1979 - Reggie King, Alabama (basketball); 1978 - Jack Givens, Kentucky (basketball); 1977 - Larry Seivers, Tennessee (football); and 1976 - Harvey Glance, Auburn (track and field).
