April 11, 2008

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The 2007-08 University of North Carolina men's and women's swimming and diving teams were honored Friday night at the annual banquet at the Pope Box at Kenan Stadium. Senior Kelsey Morrissy, junior Whitney Sprague and freshmen Joe Kinderwater and Tyler Harris shared the top four awards on the 2007-08 squad.

The Richard E. Jamerson Memorial Awards honor the team's most valuable, most outstanding and most improved swimmers. They are named in honor of Coach Richard Jamerson who was the initial coach of the Tar Heel swimming program when it was started in 1938.

Head coach Rich DeSelm presented the team's Most Valuable Swimmer Awards to senior Kelsey Morrissy of Horsham, Pa. and freshman Tyler Harris of Richmond, Va. Morrissy was an NCAA qualifier in three events and Harris earned All-America honors in the 400-yard individual medley in 2008.

Assistant coach Catherine Vogt presented the Most Outstanding Awards to a duo of tremendous Tar Heel freestyle distance swimmers -- junior Whitney Sprague of Bronxville, N.Y. and freshman Joe Kinderwater of Lancaster, Pa. Sprague finished second in the 1650-yard freestyle at the 2008 NCAA Chamnpionships while Kinderwater finished fifth in the same event at the men's championship confab.

The Most Improved Awards went to a pair of Tar Heel freshmen -- backstroker Caroline Hartmann of Williamsburg, Va. and breaststroker Flynn Jones of Raleigh, N.C.

The captains for the 2008-09 swimming and diving teams were also introduced at the banquet. Seniors Whitney Sprague and Lindsay McIlvain (Brentwood, Tenn.) will join junior Alison Clemens (Staten Island, N.Y.) as captains of the women's team. The men's team captains are seniors Yi-Khy Saw (Penang, Malaysia) and Brad Mitchell (Somers, N.Y.) and junior Jeff James (Chapel Hill, N.C.).

Other awards winners and recognition Friday night included:

2008 All-ACC Honorees
Women: Rebecca Kane, Kelsey Morrissy, Whitney Sprague, Megan Steeves, Katura Harvey
Men: Andy Brake, Ryan Funderburk, Tyler Harris, Joe Kinderwater, Vinny Pryor, Tommy Wyher

2008 All-Americas
Women: Whitney Sprague, First Team
Men: Joe Kinderwater, First Team; Ryan Funderburk, Honorable Mention; Tyler Harris, Honorable Mention

Athletic Director's Scholar-Athlete Awards
Laura Filip and Keith Labbs

Andrea Erban Most Dedicated Women's Swimmer Award
Kelsey Morrissy and Lindsay McIlvain

Bruce Webster Memorial Most Dedicated Men's Swimmer Award
Yi-Khy Saw and Jason McLaughlin

Osterbeck Family Unsung Hero Award
Will Bondurant

Hill Carrow Spirit Award
Kelly Woodruff and Brandon Suddreth

Team Academic Captains
Aubrette Biegel, Katie Pritchett and Yi-Khy Saw

Class of 1940 Blue Dolphin Award
Keith Laabs, Philip Owen and Robby Swendiman

Tar Healer Award
Kelly Woodruff

McInnis Diving Award
Erika Matheis, Laura Filip and Ryan Funderburk