University of Tennessee Athletics
Persson Named National & SEC Swimmer of the Week
November 11, 2008 | Men's Swimming & Diving
Nov. 11, 2008
Both CollegeSwimming.com and the Southeastern Conference agree that Tennessee swimmer Jonas Persson is worthy of an athlete of the week award. The senior co-captain was named Counsilman-Hunsaker National Collegiate Swimmer of the Week and SEC Swimmer of the Week Tuesday. Persson wins these awards after posting three wins against Virginia Nov. 6.
Persson added 27 points to the Vols 172-128 win over the Cavaliers, winning the 100 and 200 freestyle events as well as the 100 butterfly. His times in the 200 freestyle (1:36.08) and 100 butterfly (48.76) lead the SEC and his 100 freestyle time (43.27) is second in the conference. Both of Persson's freestyle times meet NCAA championship qualifying standards. So far this season, he has won every individual event in which he competed.
The All-America represented Sweden in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He was a member of the nation's fifth-place freestyle relay team and finished 13th in the 100 freestyle. He has earned All-America honors six times since coming to Knoxville and holds the school record in the 100 and 200 freestyle events as well as the 4x800 freestyle.
For the second consecutive week, a member of the Tennessee Swimming and Diving team won an SEC athlete of the week award. Last week, freshman-sensation Ryan Helms won both the SEC Diver and Freshman of the Week awards. Helms has won seven out of eight diving events so far this season. The Moultrie, Ga. native leads the SEC in both one- and three-meter diving scores and both meet NCAA qualifying scores. He earned the SEC honors by his performance at the Kentucky meet Oct. 31. Helms swept the one- and three-meter events for the second meet in a row in Lexington. He posted is best one-meter score, 361.57, Nov. 6 against Virginia.
Players Mentioned
