Thirty athletes were invited to the awards banquet.

Submitted by Rob Riccobon, WHAT Swimming

WHAT Swimming award winners. Submitted photo

On Sunday, Nov. 2, WHAT Swimming attended the Connecticut Swimming, Inc. (CSI) Annual Awards Banquet at the Aqua Turf Club in Plantsville, CT. WHAT Swimming was honored to have 30 athletes receive invitations to this prestigious event.

Each year CSI recognizes the accomplishments of their athletes with the presentation of the Top 16, CT Scholar Athlete and High Point Awards. WHAT Swimming recorded the highest number of Top 16 swimmers and CT Scholar Athlete swimmers in the Farmington Valley and Hartford County area.

Connecticut Swimming, Inc., (CSI) is the local governing body for competitive swimming in the state of Connecticut. Connecticut Swimming, Inc. is one of 59 Local Swimming Committees of  USA Swimming the National Governing Body for competitive swimming in the United States. CSI had 6,196 registered athletes and 64 member clubs ranging in size from less than 20 athletes to over 300 athletes.

To be eligible for the Top 16 award, a swimmer must hold one of the 16 fastest times in that particular age group and event during the 2013-2014 season. “This is no small feat and the number of WHAT swimmers achieving this recognition speaks to the hard work and dedication of the athlete, coaching staff and parent,” said head coach Rob Riccobon. “In order for swimmers to reach this level all the parties involved must have a clear focus and be goal driven. To say I am proud of everyone involved in the WHAT program would be an understatement.”

WHAT Swimming’s Top 16 award winners are: Michael Baldini, Kate Bell, Clara Capone, Zachary Finman, John Gallant, Haley Gens, Christina Guertin, Matthew Gwozdecke, Kimberly Hylan, Haley King, Nicole King, Taylor Lemus, Colton Litwinczyk, Brendan McClure, Hayley McClure, Avery Metcalfe, Ella Miller, Quinn Mitchell, Emma Nordquist, Mikel Palaj, Charles Perks, Joseph Perks, Sydney Perks, Sarah Preleski, John Rinald, Amber Rocheleau, Danielle Rocheleau, Celeste Salopek, Harrison Saperstein, Jackson Tullly, Maxim Vitkin, Erica Woods.

CT Swimming Scholar-athlete award winners from WHAT swimming. Submitted photo

Eleven WHAT swimmers also excelled in the classroom and were presented with the CT Swimming Scholar Athlete Award. For an athlete to be eligible for this honor they must meet the following criteria: Applicant must have completed 10th, 11th, or 12th grade and participated in an individual event in the summer 2013 Long Course Connecticut Senior Championship meet or the 2014 Short Course Connecticut Senior Open Championship. For the entire 2013-2014 academic year, applicant must have achieved a minimum GPA of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale.

WHAT Swimming’s CT Scholar Athlete Award recipients: Ella Cowan deWolf, Matt Gwozdecke, Kimberly Hylan, Haley King, Brendan McClure (3rd year in a row), Quinn Mitchell, Joseph Perks, John Rinald, Danielle Rocheleau, Harrison Saperstein, and Erica Woods.

WHAT Swimming award winners. Submitted photo.

The final three awards of the evening were given to Michael Baldini (Distance High Point Winner SCY 2013-2014), Amber Rocheleau (Distance High Point LCM 2014) and the relay team of Kimberly Hylan, Danielle Rocheleau, Clara Capone, Christina Guertin for setting a new CT Record in the 400 freestyle relay.

To follow WHAT Swimming this season, log onto their official team website at www.whatswim.org.