March 28, 2006

GREENSBORO, N.C. - North Carolina freshman freestyler was amongst the winners of the top four awards voted on the by Atlantic Coast Conference swimming and diving coaches and announced Tuesday by the ACC Office. Browning earned honors as the 2006 ACC Freshman of the Year.

Coming off his national championship performance at the NCAA meet last week, NC State's Cullen Jones has been named the 2006 Atlantic Coast Conference Swimmer of the Year. Miami's Derek Starks was voted the ACC Diver of the Year, while North Carolina's Hank Browning was tabbed the ACC Freshman of the Year. Virginia head coach Mark Bernardino was selected the ACC Coach of the Year for the eighth straight season after leading his Cavaliers to their eighth consecutive league championship. All of the awards were determined by a vote of the league's head coaches.

North Carolina freshman Hank Browning earned Honorable Mention All-America status in the 500 freestyle last week, claiming 12th in the event at the NCAA Championships. Browning took bronze in the event at the ACC Championships in February, and won the 200 freestyle to help the Tar Heels to a third-place team finish. The rookie from Cincinnati, Ohio, becomes the first North Carolina swimmer to earn Freshman of the Year honors since Sean Quinn did so in 2000.

NC State senior Cullen Jones won the NCAA championship in the 50 freestyle on Thursday, becoming the Wolfpack's first national champion since David Fox took the honor in the same event in 1993. In addition to his First Team performance in the 50 free, Jones also took Honorable Mention All-America honors in the 200 medley relay, helping NC State to a 13th-place finish. Jones won the ACC championship in the 50 free for the third straight year in February, setting a new conference record with his time of 19.07. The Irvington, N.J., native also won the 100 free at the ACC Championships for the second time in his career, and helped the Wolfpack take gold in the 200 medley relay. Jones was the league's Men's Swimming and Diving Performer of the Week three times during the season.

Miami junior Derek Starks earned First Team All-America status in the one-meter dive last week, as he placed fourth in the event at the NCAA Championships. Starks won the event at the ACC Championships in February, and was second on the three-meter boards. The Mission Viejo, Calif., native single-handedly powered the Hurricanes to a 32nd-place finish at the NCAA Championships, accounting for 15 points. Starks was a First-Team All-American in the platform dive and earned Honorable Mention in the one-meter in 2005, and is the second straight Miami diver to win the award.

Virginia head coach Mark Bernardino earned the top coaching honor in the league after leading his Cavaliers to their eighth consecutive league championship. Bernardino coached 10 swimmers that earned All-ACC honors in at least one event at the ACC Championships, and had seven earn Honorable Mention All-America status at the NCAA Championships last week. After guiding the Cavaliers to an 18th-place finish at the NCAA meet, Bernardino was named the league's Coach of the Year for the 13th time in his career and eighth straight overall.