Feb. 18, 2001

OKLAHOMA CITY - Following the 2001 Swimming and Diving Championships, the Mountain West Conference recognized the following individual honors:

UNLV's Lorena Diaconescu and Jacint Simon repeated as Women's and Men's Swimmers of the Year.

Simon won the 1650 free, 500 free and 200 free. He also swam the third leg of the winning 200-yard free relay, the second leg of the winning 800 free relay and the final leg of the winning 400 free relay.

Diaconescu won the 500 free, 200 free and 100 free. She also swam the final leg of both the winning 400 and 800 free relays.

Rebel Alyson Noble was named 2001 Women's Freshman of the Year, an honor won by UNLV for the last three years. Dana Penn won in 1999 followed by Whitney Phelps in 2000.

Noble won the 1650 free and finished second, behind teammate Diaconescu, in the both the 200 and 500 free. She also swam the first leg of the winning 800 free relay and the second leg of the winning 400 free relay.

For the second straight year, Jim Reitz was named Men's Coach of the Year. It is Reitz' seventh such honor, having won five times while coaching UNLV in the Big West Conference.

2001 Women's Swimmer of the Year:Lorena Diaconescu, UNLV (repeat winner)
2001 Men's Swimmer of the Year:Jacint Simon, UNLV (repeat winner)
2001 Women's Diver of the Year:Sarah Law, Air Force
2001 Men's Diver of the Year:Justin Wilcock, BYU
2001 Women's Freshman of the Year:Alyson Noble, UNLV
2001 Men's Freshman of the Year:Nicholas Tobler, BYU
2001 Women's Diving Coach of the Year:Stan Curnow, Air Force
2001 Men's Diving Coach of the Year:Jason Bauman, Wyoming
2001 Women's Coach of the Year:Stan Crump, BYU
2001 Men's Coach of the Year:Jim Reitz, UNLV (repeat winner)