MEN'S SWIMMING & DIVING

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UB Men's Swimming and Diving Announces Awards

BUFFALO, NY – The University at Buffalo men’s swimming and diving squad presented its team awards for the 2006-07 season at the annual Athletic Awards Banquet held at the Millennium Hotel on May 1.

The coaching staff made the following presentations: Michael McDowell (Rush, NY/Rush Henrietta) was selected as the Top Newcomer; Andrew Tamchyna (Newmarket, Ontario/Newmarket) earned the Most Improved Player Award; Luke Adams (Kingsford, MI/Quinnesec) received the Coaches’ Award; and Zach Ruske (Superior, CO/Monarch) was named Most Outstanding.

Michael McDowell

The Top Newcomer Award is presented to the individual student-athlete who distinguishes himself as the most talented new player on the team or the individual who accomplishes the greatest achievements as a first-year player. McDowell had a stellar campaign setting UB school records on both the one-meter and three-meter diving boards. McDowell set the one-meter mark of 323.77 for six dives on February 1 against St. Bonaventure. He broke the UB record on the three-meter board with his 338.80 score at the Mid-American Conference Championships, earning All-MAC Second Team honors. McDowell also competed at the NCAA Zone Diving Championships in Annapolis, MD, finishing second of four entrants on the 10-meter platform and reaching the finals in the one and three-meter springboard competitions.

Andrew Tamchyna

The Most Improved Player Award is presented to the student-athlete who has made the greatest stride or improvement in his performance from the previous season or from the beginning of the season to the end of the season. Tamchyna, a backstroke specialist, posted a pair of lifetime-bests in his freshman campaign. He turned in a 100-yard backstroke time of 52.13 at the Akron SummaCare Invitational in December and followed with a 1:51.63 in the 200-yard backstroke for a fifth-place finish in the championship final at the MAC meet.

Luke Adams

The Coaches’ Award is selected by the head coach and is given to the student-athlete who best exemplifies the team virtues as defined by the head coach. The recipient is one who stands out in dedication, commitment, unselfishness and enthusiasm towards helping the team improve. Adams completed his senior season as one of the Bulls' top distance freestylers and backstrokers. Adams led the team in the 500-yard (4:38.92) and 1,000-yard (9:43.53) freestyle races in 2007. He set his season-best backstroke times in the 100-yard (52.37) and 200-yard (1:53.55) distances at the MAC Championships, reaching the championship final in the 100-yard backstroke.

Zach Ruske

The Most Outstanding Award is given to the student-athlete who makes the most significant contribution to the accomplishments of the team through his skills and leadership. Ruske earned All-MAC Second Team honors for his performance at the league championships. In his first year with the Bulls, Ruske scored a fourth-place finish in the 200-yard backstroke final in 1:51.59 after posting a lifetime-best time of 1:51.45 in the preliminary heats. In the 200-yard individual medley, Ruske also finished fourth in 1:53.87, reaching the championship round by posting a lifetime-best swim of 1:53.82 in the preliminaries. He also posted a seventh-place finish in the 100-yard backstroke final in 52.18 after setting another lifetime best in the heats in 51.96.

The Bulls completed their season with a 3-4 overall record and were 1-3 in MAC competition. The Bulls placed fourth at the MAC Championships, held at Alumni Arena Natatorium, compiling their best finish since joining the league in 1998.