Three Gators Receive Nominations for 2011 Golden Goggle Awards
Thursday, October 13, 2011 | Women's Swimming & Diving
Three members of the Florida swimming and diving family, Gator great Ryan Lochte (Daytona Beach, Fla.), All-American Elizabeth Beisel (North Kingstown, R.I.) and head coach Gregg Troy were nominated for the 2011 Golden Goggle Awards, announced today by the USA Swimming Foundation. Fans can vote for the winners online at www.GoldenGoggles.com, beginning October 13, with ballots closing on November 18.
Lochte, the current 200 IM world record holder, alongside Missy Franklin and Michael Phelps lead the crew of talented swimmers with four nominations each on the ballot. The five-time 2011 World Champion has been nominated in three separate categories: Relay Performance of the Year, Male Performance of the Year and Male Athlete of the Year.
The six-time Olympic medalist swam the final leg of the men's 4x200-meter freestyle relay alongside Michael Phelps, Peter Vanderkaay and Ricky Berens. His 1:44.56 performance propelled the U.S. team past France and secured the gold medal for the quartet of swimmers.
For his nominations in the Male Performance of the Year category, Lochte's 200 free and 200 IM swims from the FINA World Championships in Shanghai, China this past summer appear on the ballot. Lochte won the 200 free with a time of 1:44.44, touching before fellow nominee Phelps (1:44.79), to secure his first gold medal of the meet. The Gator also became the first swimmer to set a world record since the banning of polyurethane suits when he finished the 200 IM in 1:54.00.
Sophomore Elizabeth Beisel has been nominated for the Perseverance, Female Performance of the Year and Female Athlete of the Year awards.
The Perseverance Award is given to a swimmer who has come back from adversity, retirement, illness, injury, etc. Beisel is the only collegiate athlete and woman to appear on the ballot in the category, as her name appears alongside Alex Meyer and Peter Vanderkaay.
The Rhode Island native was nominated for her performance in the 400 IM at the 2011 FINA World Championships. Beisel captured the first individual world title of her career after she touched the wall in 4:31.78, as she breezed by the pool of competitors claiming the title by more than two seconds and clocking the fastest time in the event since the banning of polyurethane suits. The time not only won her the title, but put her atop the Florida record books in the event, with the fastest time ever swam by a Gator.
Beisel and Lochte were nominated for Female and Male Athlete of the Year, respectively. Beisel 's name appears alongside Franklin, Rebecca Soni and Dana Vollmer, all of which won individual gold medals in Olympic events at the World Championships. Lochte is up against Phelps for Male Athlete of the Year, as the duo combined for a total of 13 medals (nine gold, three silver and one bronze) in Shanghai this summer.
Troy's name appears alongside Bob Bowman (North Baltimore), Teri McKeever (Cal Aquatics), Todd Schmits (Colorado Starts) and Dave Salo (Trojan Swim Club), as each coach successfully led a swimmer to an individual World Championship title in 2011.
The Gator head coach has been nominated for the Coach of the Year title every year since 2006. He took home the award for the first time last year after he served as head coach of the U.S. men's team at the 2010 Mutual of Omaha Pan Pacific Championships which took home a total of 21 total medals.
The Golden Goggle awards celebrate the year's top accomplishments in American Swimming. The event will take place Sunday, November 20 in Los Angeles, Ca. and feature the 2011 FINA World Championships U.S. swim team. Nominees are selected based on the top accomplishments of the year by U.S. swimmer, with an emphasis placed on the 2011 FINA World Championships that took place this past summer.
The event serves as a fundraiser for the USA Swimming Foundation, which strives to save lives and build champions in the sport of swimming. In addition to Make a Splash, a national, child-focused water safety campaign that stresses the importance of learning-to-swim, the USA Swimming Foundation supports the U.S. National Team and its development efforts aim to establish an endowment to strengthen the future of USA Swimming's programs and services. The Foundation also serves as the home for our National and Olympic Team Alumni reunions and regional events.
For the latest in Florida swimming and diving, fans are encouraged to follow the program on Twitter and Facebook.
The complete list of 2011 awards and nominees:
Breakout Performer of the Year
Alex Meyer
Tyler McGill
Ashley Twichell
Perseverance Award
Elizabeth Beisel
Alex Meyer
Peter Vanderkaay
Coach of the Year
Bob Bowman
Teri McKeever
Dave Salo
Todd Schmitz
Gregg Troy
Relay Performance of the Year
Women's 4x200 Free Relay (FINA World Championships)
Men's 4x200 Free Relay (FINA World Championships)
Women's 4x100 Medley Relay (FINA World Championships)
Men's 4x100 Medley Relay (FINA World Championships)
Female Performance of the Year
200 Backstroke (FINA World Championships) – Missy Franklin
100 Breaststroke (FINA World Championships) – Rebecca Soni
100 Butterfly (FINA World Championships) – Dana Vollmer
400 IM (FINA World Championships) – Elizabeth Beisel
Male Performance of the Year
200 Freestyle (FINA World Championships) – Ryan Lochte
200 Butterfly (FINA World Championships) – Michael Phelps
200 IM (FINA World Championships) – Ryan Lochte
Female Athlete of the Year
Elizabeth Beisel
Missy Franklin
Rebecca Soni
Dana Vollmer
Male Athlete of the Year
Ryan Lochte
Michael Phelps
