April 25, 2002

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- The University of North Carolina swimming and diving program held its annual banquet Thursday evening at the Friday Center on the UNC campus with team award winners for 2001-02 being announced at that time.

Senior tri-captain Seth Laughlin of Bethesda, Md., won two awards as he took the men's teams Hill Carrow Spirit Award as well as the Bruce Webster Memorial Award given to the team's most dedicated swimmer.

Educational Foundation members Tom and Janet Kean, long-time benefactors of the swimming and diving program, were awarded the Class of 1940 Blue Dolphin Award given for service as selected by the coaching staff.

The Richard E. Jamerson Memorial Awards are given in memory of Steven McDonald and they honor the team's most valuable, most outstanding and most improved swimmers. The most valuable swimmer is chosen for performance over the length of the season. Senior co-captain Katie Hathaway (Matthews, N.C.) won the award for the women and senior tri-captain Chris Helin (Setuaket, N.Y.) took home the same honor for the women.

The most outstanding award goes to the student-athlete with the finest performances of the season. Winners were sophomore Jessi Perruquet of Danville, Pa. for the women and junior Sean Quinn of Lancaster, S.C. for the men. Most improved swimmers are sophomore Whitney Smith of Richmond, Va. and freshman Reid Owen of Knoxville, Tenn.

The women's winner of the Hill Carrow Spirit Award was junior tri-captain Janna Turner of Raleigh, N.C. Sophomore Gena Bittner of Beaufort, N.C. won the Class of 1989 Award for the women's team's most dedicated swimmer.

The Osterneck Family Award goes to the program's unsung heroes. Two swimmers shared the award this year--both from the men's team--Andrew Biedrzycki of Charlotte, N.C. and Greg Johnson of Rural Hall, N.C.