Sunday, April 01, 2007

Pozdniakova, van Katwijk, Shamburger Earn C-USA Swimming and Diving Honors

From University of Houston Press Release

University of Houston divers Anastasia Pozdniakova and Ginni van Katwijk and swimmer Jessica Shamburger received specialty awards from Conference USA, as selected by the conference’s head coaches, on Tuesday.

Pozdniakova was honored as the league’s Diver of the Year, while van Katwijk was recognized as one of two Newcomers of the Year. Shamburger claimed Freshman Swimmer of the Year accolades.

The honors are just the latest for the Cougar Swimming and Diving program, which finished 23rd at the 2007 NCAA Championships, the seventh consecutive season that the Cougars have ranked among the Top 25 team leaders at the nation’s top collegiate meet.

Pozdniakova just finished her sophomore season at UH and compiled numerous honors. In 2006-07, she was named the C-USA Diver of the Week five times during the regular season and was honored as the C-USA Diver of the Meet after winning both the 1- and 3-meter championships.

After winning the 1- and 3-meter championships at the NCAA Zone D meet, Pozdniakova continued her impressive performances at the 2007 NCAA Championships during her first appearance at that meet. She finished as the National Runner-Up on the 3-meter springboard and captured another All-America honor on the 1-meter board after finishing fifth.

Competing in her first season at UH, van Katwijk joined the Cougar diving corps after transferring from Wyoming and made an immediate impact. She joined Pozdniakova as the only divers to finish among the Top Three leaders in all three diving events at the C-USA Championship.

The Grootebroek, Netherlands, native finished second on the platform in the consolation finals of the 2007 NCAA Championship to earn All-America honors.

van Katwijk shared the C-USA postseason honor with SMU’s Angela San Juan Cisneros.

Shamburger captured the C-USA 100-yard backstroke championship during her first collegiate season and was a member of three All-Conference USA relay teams at the C-USA meet. The Spring native’s time in the 100-yard backstroke was the second fastest in school history.

SMU’s Petra Klosova was named the 2007 C-USA Swimmer of the Year.

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