Kredich, Walshe Honored with Yearly Awards by SEC Coaches

Kredich, Walshe Honored with Yearly Awards by SEC Coaches

April 13, 2022 | Swimming & Diving, Women's Swimming & Diving, Men's Swimming & Diving

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – After leading the Lady Vols to their second SEC Championship in three years and a fourth straight top-10 finish at the NCAA Championships, director of swimming & diving Matt Kredich and freshman Ellen Walshe both received yearly conference honors from the coaches, the league announced Wednesday.

Kredich earned SEC Women's Swimming Coach of the Year , while Walshe was tabbed SEC Female Co-Swimmer of the Year and SEC Female Freshman of the Year. UT also placed seven Vols and Lady Vols on the All-SEC First Team, while an additional 13 were recognized on the All-SEC Second Team. With both rosters boosted from young talent, eight student-athletes were tabbed to the SEC All-Freshman Team.

A four-time SEC Coach of the Year selection, Kredich guided the Tennessee women's swimming & diving program to its second conference title ever, as the Lady Vols won a combined 17 medals, with seven gold, six silver and four bronze, throughout the meet. In addition to its top performers, Tennessee saw a staggering 53 swimmers and divers qualify for the finals throughout the meet, including 30 A final marks. Adding to the impressive feat, all 22 members on UT's SEC roster qualified for at least one B final or better.

During the NCAA Championships, Kredich coached 11 different Lady Vols to a combined 28 All-America honors, including six swimmers who earned the status in multiple events. Throughout the season, the Lady Vols soared as high as No. 3 in the country in the coaches poll while never dropping outside of the top 10.

Walshe's already impressive résumé was bolstered even more, as the Dublin, Ireland, native became the first Lady Vol freshman to win SEC Swimmer of the Year. She is just the third person in program history to earn the status, joining Erika Brown (2019, 2020) and Christine Magnuson (2008). This marks the third time in the last four seasons that a Lady Vol has won the award.

The All-SEC First Team honoree joined teammate Mona McSharry (2021) and Aleksa Akerfelds (2008) as the only Lady Vols to be named SEC Freshman of the Year, while it also marked the second season in a row UT brought home the award. Walshe was also tabbed to the SEC All-Freshman Team.

After winning seven medals, including four gold, at the SEC Championships, Walshe was named the SEC Swimmer of the Meet and received the prestigious Commissioner's Trophy as the top overall points scorer.

Walshe put together one of the best performances in SEC Championship history, winning the 400 IM with a school-record time of 4:01.53 and then following that up with a victory in the 100 fly (50.34) less than 45 minutes later. After posting the second-fastest time in program history to win the 200 IM (1:52.97), she completed the sweep of her individual events for the week to score 96 points for the Lady Vols en route to their title.

Walshe became the first swimmer in SEC history to win the 100 fly, 200 IM and 400 IM during the same meet. One of just three Lady Vols to ever win three individual events in a single SEC Championship, Walshe became the first freshman to ever achieve the feat. Her 400 IM marked the fastest time by a freshman in SEC history and ranked as the seventh-best time by a freshman in NCAA history. In the relays, Walshe fueled Tennessee to a gold medal in the 800 free relay, while she also earned silver medals in the 400 free relay, 200 medley relay and 400 medley relay as well.

Earning All-America honors in seven different events, Walshe earned a pair of podium finishes to pace Tennessee during the NCAA Championships. She placed eighth overall in both the 400 IM and 100 fly, events which occur back-to-back, despite battling ailments. She was also a member of the first team All-American 800 free relay for UT.

For the season, Walshe posted four times that ranked inside the top 15 nationally: 400 IM (3rd), 200 IM (4th), 100 fly (5th) and 200 fly (15th). In addition to her UT record time in the 400 IM, she also owns four other individual top-10 times in Tennessee history.

SEC Women's Swimming Coach of the Year
Matt Kredich

SEC Female Co-Swimmer of the Year
Ellen Walshe

SEC Freshman Swimmer of the Year
Ellen Walshe

All-SEC
Men
Jordan Crooks – First Team
Nolan Briggs – Second Team
Micah Chambers – Second Team
Jarel Dillard – Second Team
Bryden Hattie – Second Team
Michael Houlie – Second Team
Björn Kammann – Second Team
Kayky Mota – Second Team
Scott Scanlon – Second Team
Aleksey Tarasenko – Second Team

Women
Mona McSharry – First Team
Julia Mrozinski – First Team
Tjasa Pintar – First Team
Trude Rothrock – First Team
Kristen Stege – First Team
Ellen Walshe – First Team
Brooklyn Douthwright – Second Team
Josephine Fuller – Second Team
Anna-Julia Kutsch – Second Team
Jasmine Rumley – Second Team

SEC All-Freshman Team
Men
Jordan Crooks
Björn Kammann

Women
Brooklyn Douthwright
Josephine Fuller
Julia Mrozinski
Summer Smith
Sara Stotler
Ellen Walshe