Men's Swimming and Diving hosts benefit clinic; McGinnis and Weber-Gale share most valuable swimmer at annual awards banquet
AUSTIN, Texas -- United States Olympic swimmers Aaron Peirsol and Neil Walker, head coach Eddie Reese and the University of Texas men's swimming team hosted a swim clinic to benefit victims of the recent Tsunami disaster at the Rollingwood Pool in the Westlake section of Austin on Saturday and raised over $1,000 to be donated to the American Red Cross. Following the clinic, the team hosted its senior and spring awards banquet and UT freshman Matthew McGinnis (Raleigh, N.C.) and sophomore Garrett Weber-Gale (Fox Point, Wis.) shared the team's Most Valuable Swimmer honor, highlighting the 2004-05 men's swimming and diving banquet held later Saturday afternoon. Freshman diver Brian Smith (Carrolltown, Texas) earned the Most Valuable Diver as well as the Most Improved award. Seniors Daniel DiToro (Brant Rock, Mass.) and Andrew Davidson (Mt. Juliet, Tenn.) garnered the Most Spirited award while classmates Austin McAnally (McKinney, Texas) and Rainer Kendrick (Birmingham, Ala.) won the Leadership award. McGinnis, the Big 12 Conference Newcomer of the Meet and the Year, earned All-America honors in five events while Weber-Gale, the conference's Swimmer of the Meet and the Year, captured All-America distinction in each of six events at the 2005 NCAA Championships in Minneapolis, Minn., this past March. Following their performances at the NCAA Championships, both swimmers earned a berth on the U.S. national team by virtue of their performances at the World Championship Trials in Indianapolis, Ind. (April 1-6). The team will compete at the 2005 World Championships in Montreal from July 17 to 31. The international competition marks the first for each in their respective careers. Spring and Senior Award Recipients(s)
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