Swimmers Earn Conference Honors
10/18/2011 12:00:00 AM | Swimming & Diving
Oct. 18, 2011
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - A pair of Alabama swimmers earned league honors to start the 2011-12 season the Southeastern Conference office announced Tuesday.
Sophomore Alex Coci was named the SEC Male Swimmer of the Week after a three-win performance against South Carolina and Florida State last Saturday while Kaylin Burchell was named the SEC Female Freshman of the Week after opening her career by winning both breaststroke events.
"We had some great performances down in Tallahassee with Alex and Kaylin certainly leading the way," UA head coach Eric McIlquham said. "Both posted swims that rank in the top-10 nationally and are obviously among the best the SEC at this point in the season."
Coci swept his individual events against FSU and USC finishing more than a second ahead of the field in the 200 butterfly and more than a half second ahead of his nearest competitor in the 100 butterfly. In the 200 IM he finished nearly two seconds ahead of the nearest South Carolina swimmer while in the 200 butterfly he was nearly three seconds ahead of the nearest non-Alabama swimmer.
Coci's time rank in the top-10 nationally and were the fastest 100 and 200 butterfly and 200 IM times in the conference last week as well as the second fastest 100 and 200 butterfly times in the conference this season.
In her collegiate debut, Burchell won the 100 and 200 breaststrokes and posted the fastest breaststroke split of the meet in the 200 medley relay. Her time in the 100 breaststroke was a second and a half faster than her nearest competitor.
Burchell holds the second fastest 100 breaststroke time in the conference this season and the fastest by a rookie. Burchell also posted the fastest 200 breaststroke in the conference last week and ranks in the top nationally in both the 100 and 200 breaststrokes.
Coci, Burchell and their Crimson Tide teammates return to action Oct. 29 in their home opener at the Alabama Aquatic Center where they will face off against Emory and Tulane starting at noon. The meet will be the program's annual Power of Pink event, which helps raise awareness in the fight against breast cancer.
Players Mentioned
