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View PHOTOS from the 2001 Awards Banquet taken  by Bonnie Fisher.  Thanks, Bonnie!!

2001 Awards Banquet

It is at this banquet that we honor swimmers, coaches and volunteers  for their outstanding achievements and contributions to Connecticut Swimming.  Nearly four hundred swimmers were recognized for  the Top 16 swims in each individual event and twenty-eight scholar-athletes were recognized  for academic and athletic excellence.   New to this year's group of honorees were the Top 16 athletes who participated in CSI's first-ever Open Water Championship.  Steve Carroll, General Chair, extended special thanks to Peter Boucher and Wendy Jackwin, Banquet Coordinators, for their huge effort and success of this banquet. 

Awards Banquet
Swimmer of the Year
Ben Michaelson

For two consecutive years, CSI Senior Committee has named Ben Michaelson Swimmer of the Year.  Ben finished 7th this past August at USA Swimming Phillips 66 Nationals in the 100M Butterfly.  He swims for SCSU.

Awards Banquet
Outstanding Achievement Award
Deborah Gruen

"This room is filled with an outstanding group of athletes but how many of you will ever have the ability to set a world record?"   This is the question Coach Jeff Schare asked as he introduced Deborah Gruen, world record holder in the women's 1500M Freestyle. Deb smashed the 1999 world record by 42 seconds at Regional Championships and then by invitation competed in LSC Championships bettering her own American Record in the 100M Fly.  At the USA Swimming Disability Championships Deb captured American Records in the 100M Fly, 200M Fly and 800M Free. In all, Deb holds four American Records and one World Record in the S7 classification.  Deb swims with Hamden/North Haven Swimming. 

Awards Banquet
Special Recognition
Marcy MacDonald

It is not often that the Connecticut coaching ranks can claim a world-class athlete, but LEHY Coach Marcy MacDonald fills that role as the first American woman to swim across the English Channel and back in 21 hours and 19 minutes this past July 27th.

Awards Banquet
Phillips 66 Service Award
Jim Cooper

Long-time CSI and WYW volunteer, certified referee, architect behind the LSA Software, the CSI web site and Best Times Database, best describes Jim Cooper.   It is clear that Connecticut Swimming has been on the forefront of technology with respect to our sport and that much of the credit for that goes to Jim.

Awards Banquet
Senior Coach of the Year
Sean Farrell

Elected by his peers is Sean Farrell, Head Coach of the Cheshire Water Devils. Sean has been coaching many years, most recently at Cheshire and was an accomplished swimmer himself.

Awards Banquet
Age Group Coach of the Year
Brooks Ensor

Brooks has a long history of age group coaching and has continually contributed to make age group swimming better in Connecticut. As former CSI swimmer, Katie Massa, said, "Any swimmer who has ever had the privilege of working with Brooks, as a member of his team, or at a Zone meet, or at a camp always came away knowing that swimming, first and foremost, should be fun and come from the heart."

Awards Banquet
Athlete Scholars

The following 28 Athlete-Scholars attended the Awards Banquet. (All 49 Athlete-Scholars will be recognized, along with USA Swimming All-America Team, in the near future.)

Katherine Rice (WYW) Three-consecutive years!

Awards Banquet
Individual High Point Awards

Distance High Point Awards

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