Winnetka’s Conor Dwyer burst into the elite of college swimming in a flash when he became the 2010 NCAA men’s swimmer of the year.
Since then, Dwyer has picked up the pace.
The University of Florida senior was named Southeastern Conference male swimmer of the year for the second straight season after setting SEC records at three distances in last week’s conference championships,
Pretty good for a guy who didn’t make a splash until transferring to Florida from Iowa after his sophomore year.
At the conference meet, Dwyer, a Loyola Academy grad, set an SEC mark with the third fastest 400-yard individual medley in U.S. history (3 minutes, 37.75 seconds); clocked an SEC record 4:11:36 in the 500 freestyle; and, on the leadoff leg of the 4 x 200 free relay, came within one-hundredth of the U.S. record with a 1:31.73 that broke the 6-year-old SEC mark set by the Gators’ Ryan Lochte, 2010 world swimmer of the year.
Dwyer said training with Lochte — reigning world champion in both IM events — has been a big factor in improving his medley swimming.
“I can’t explain in words how much the Florida program has made me a better swimmer and person,” Dwyer said in a text message. “I believe I can reach new heights here.”
Next up for Dwyer are the March 24-26 NCAA Championships at Minnesota, in which he is defending champion at 200 and 500 free. Then come the July World Championships in Shanghai, where he will be a member of the U.S. relay pool for the 4 x 200.
Campus chatter: While its men’s basketball team is struggling (6-21), the Chicago State women (18-8) have a 12-game winning streak, a perfect record (9-0) in the Great West Conference and an outside shot at a Women’s NIT bid. Senior forward Courtney Waldon (Sun Prairie, Wis.) recently became the Lady Cougars all-time leading scorer.
Monmouth College quarterback Alex Tanney’s trick shot video has attracted nearly 134,000 page views in two days (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxDJb03a0yo). Tanney, a senior from Normal, was injured most of last season and has applied for another year of eligibility.
Aurora University will become the first men’s lacrosse team in Illinois to play an official NCAA match when it meets the College of Wooster Saturday. … The second-ranked Northwestern women must improve on their sloppy play in a 14-11 season opening victory over Notre Dame before going to No. 3 North Carolina Friday. Wildcat freshman Alyssa Leonard (Bay Shore, N.Y.) made an impressive debut with six draw controls. … In a rematch of last year’s national title game, the No. 6 Irish men’s lacrosse team turned the tables with a 12-7 victory over No. 5 Duke. … Sandy Montgomery notched her 800th victory in 23 years as Southern Illinois-Edwardsville’s softball coach. … University of Chicago (21-3) became the first Division III women’s basketball team to clinch a tourney bid this season.
