DALLAS – After wrapping up an abbreviated but record-setting season, Conference USA has announced the postseason individual awards for Women’s Swimming & Diving. Seven-time champion FIU dominated the superlative awards, claiming three of the five individual honors, with Florida Atlantic and Rice each earning one apiece. The superlative awards of Swimmer, Freshman Swimmer, Diver, Freshman Diver and Newcomer of the Year were chosen by a vote of the league's head coaches.
2020-21 C-USA Swimming & Diving Superlative Awards
Swimmer of the Year: Jasmine Nocentini, FIU
Freshman Swimmer of the Year: Imogen Meers, Rice
Diver of the Year: Maha Gouda, FIU
Freshman Diver of the Year: Selina Staudenherz, Florida Atlantic
Newcomer of the Year: Elinah Phillip, FIU
SWIMMER OF THE YEAR
JASMINE NOCENTINI | FIU | SO. | PADOVA, ITALY
Nocentini won 15 of her 16 events in the 2021 season to repeat as the C-USA Swimmer of the Year. In total, she secured six gold medals at the C-USA Championships and was named the Swimmer of the Meet. During her time in Atlanta, she earned a pair of C-USA First Team honors in the 100 and 200 freestyle and qualified for the NCAA Championships in three events to lead FIU to its seventh straight C-USA title. This is the eighth consecutive season that an FIU student-athlete has been named a C-USA Swimmer of the Year.
FRESHMAN SWIMMER OF THE YEAR
IMOGEN MEERS | RICE | FR. | BROMLEY, ENGLAND
Meers helped guide Rice to a second place finish in the 2021 C-USA Championships by winning the 100 back, placing third in the 200 back and reaching the finals of the 50 free. Her mark of 1:58.12 in the 200 back was good for fifth all-time in Rice annals. Her individual performances netted her multiple All-C-USA honors including First Team All-Conference USA in the 100 back. In relay events, the England native secured three Second Team All-Conference USA decorations across the 200 free, the 400 free and the 400 medley. Overall, the Rice rookie directly assisted in 82 of the program’s points in her first conference meet.
DIVER OF THE YEAR
MAHA GOUDA | FIU | JR. | ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT
Gouda received her third straight C-USA Diver of the Year award after becoming the first diver in conference history to take home gold medals in all three the diving events. Following her attainment of C-USA Diver of the Meet and working her way through NCAA Zones in Greensboro, North Carolina, the junior booked her second appearance at the NCAA Championship by qualifying for both the 3-meter and platform. She finished 21
st in the platform at the NCAAs to close out her record-setting season.
FRESHMAN DIVER OF THE YEAR
SELINA STAUDENHERZ | FLORIDA ATLANTIC | FR. | AUSTRIA, VIENNA
Staudenherz was a steady presence on the board all season for the Owls, finishing in the top five in both the 1- and 3-meter events in every meet. In her first C-USA Swimming & Diving Championships, the Austrian product enjoyed a pair of fifth-place finishes in the 1- and 3-meter dives to contribute to Florida Atlantic’s 425 total points, while also competing in the platform.
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
ELINAH PHILLIP | FIU | SO. | BISHOP’S STORTFORD, ENGLAND
A transfer from Rutgers, Phillip notched a pair of All-Conference USA First Team honors in the 200 free and medley relay at her first C-USA Championships. She also produced a personal-best time of 23:01 en route to the silver medal in the 50 free at the conference event. The sophomore also enjoyed a new personal record in the 100 butterfly, notching a 57.45 in Atlanta.