Lock Haven, Pa. - West Chester’s Kenny McCormick has been named the 2009-10 PSAC Men’s Swimmer of the Year while West Chester’s Jackie Borkowski has been named the PSAC Women’s Swimmer of the Year as the Golden Ram duo highlights the PSAC postseason swimming awards for the recently completed 2009-10 season. The Golden Rams swept the awards on the men’s side as Tommy Rhoads is the Freshman of the Year and head coach Jamie Rudisill is the Coach of the Year. Clarion’s Kayla Shull is the Women’s Freshman of the Year while Kutztown head coach Tim Flannery is the Coach of the Year.
McCormick played a big part in helping the West Chester men win their 12th straight PSAC championship as he was named the men’s Outstanding Swimmer of the Meet. At the PSAC championships, McCormick won all three individual events he entered, the 200 and 400 IMs and the 200 butterfly. In doing so, he broke his own PSAC meet and overall records in the 200 IM and also broke the PSAC record in the 400 IM by almost three seconds while winning the event by nearly 10 seconds. The junior also helped West Chester finish ninth at the NCAA championships, the highest finishing PSAC team. He earned All-American status in both the 200 and 400 IM, finishing fifth in the 200 and sixth in the 400.
Borkowski earns the PSAC Swimmer of the Year award for the second straight season after also garnering the award last year. She was also named the women’s Outstanding Swimmer of the Meet at the PSAC championships for the second straight season after also winning all three of the events in which she entered at the PSAC meet. She repeated as the individual champion in both the 50 and 100 freestyle and also won the 200 free. She saved the best performance of her career for her last career collegiate meet as she won individual national championships in three events at the NCAA championships, winning the 50, 100 and 200 free while also earning All-American honors in the 500 free with a fourth place finish en route to being named the female Swimmer of the Meet. Her performances helped the Golden Rams to a fourth place team finish at the NCAA meet. Borkowski, who is appearing in this week’s Sports Illustrated in the “Face in the Crowd” section, wraps up her career as a 22-time All-American over her four-year career.
Rhoads is the Men’s Freshman of the Year after emerging as one of the top freestyle distance swimmers in the PSAC in helping lead West Chester to its PSAC title. Rhoads won individual PSAC titles in both the 500 and 1000 freestyle at the PSAC meet. He followed up that performance by earning All-American honors in the same two events at the NCAA meet, finishing sixth in the 1000 and eighth in the 500.
Shull is the Women’s Freshman of the Year after she emerged as one of the top swimmers on Clarion in her first year. She won the 100 backstroke in a school record time and finished sixth in the 50 free at the PSAC meet. Shull then earned an All-American honor by swimming to a third place finish and breaking her own school record in the 100 back at the NCAA meet. She also earned All-American status on a trio of relay teams as she was a part of the fifth place 200 medley relay, eight place 400 medley relay and sixth place 400 free relay teams.
Rudisill earns his eight all-time PSAC Men’s Coach of the Year honor with his award this season. Overall, this is his ninth PSAC Coach of the Year award, as he also has been the Coach of the Year on the women’s side once in his career. Under his guidance, the Golden Ram men won their aforementioned 12th straight PSAC title, the second-longest championship streak in PSAC men’s swimming history, ranking only behind Clarion’s 19 straight from 1971-1989. The championship was the 23rd all-time for the Golden Rams, moving them to just one behind Clarion’s 24 for the most men’s swimming championship in PSAC history. With his team’s ninth place finish at NCAA’s, the Golden Rams have now finished in the top 10 at the NCAA meet in each of the last three years.
Flannery earns his first-ever PSAC Women’s Coach of the Year award and his second PSAC Coach of the Year honor overall, as he was also the 2004 Men’s Coach of the Year. This year, Flannery guided Kutztown to a fourth place finish at the PSAC championships and a 16th place finish at the NCAA championships. He also coached one of the best swimmers in Kutztown school history in Steph Jeppesen, who won three individual titles at the PSAC meet - the 100 and 200 breaststroke and the 200 IM. Jeppesen also earned All-American honors by finishing second in the 200 breast, third in the 100 breast and fourth in the 200 IM at the NCAA meet.
2009-10 PSAC Men’s Swimming Awards
Athlete of the Year
Kenny McCormick, West Chester Jr. West Chester, Pa./Henderson
Freshman of the Year
Tommy Rhoads, West Chester Fr. Ridley, Pa./Ridley
Coach of the Year
Jamie Rudisill, West Chester
2009-10 PSAC Women’s Swimming Awards
Athlete of the Year
Jackie Borkowski, West Chester Sr. Norristown, Pa./Methacton
Freshman of the Year
Kayla Shull, Clarion Fr. Franklin, Pa./Rocky Grove
Coach of the Year
Tim Flannery, Kutztown