Pair of Privateers Earn SBC Swimming and Diving Honors

NEW ORLEANS - Two members of the University of New Orleans men's swimming and diving team received recognition from the Sun Belt Conference on Wednesday morning as Jonas Grundstrom was named Swimmer of the Week and Johnny DeMaine was tabbed Diver of the Week.

 

The honor is the first for Grundstrom and the third time in school history a UNO male has earned the nod as SBC Swimmer of the Week.

 

In the dual this weekend against 13-time defending Conference USA champion SMU on Saturday, Grundstrom claimed both the 500 and 1000 free.The native of Sweden started with a win in the 1000 free, swimming his second-fastest time of the year in the event and the third-fastest in school history with a 9:44.27, defeating his SMU counterpart by over seven seconds.

 

Later in the day, Grundstrom competed in the 500 free for the first time, posting the third-fastest time in school history with a 4:43.09, holding off a Mustangs' swimmer by 8 tenths of a second. A redshirt freshman on the Privateers' squad, Grundstrom won the 1500 free at the Swedish nationals this past summer and is the one of the team's distance free specialist.

 

Diving for the first time this season, DeMaine set a school-record en route to a first-place finish against SMU in the 1-meter dive and claiming his third career SBC Diver of the Week honor.

 

The native of Glendale, Ariz. posted a score of 268.15 to eclipse his previous top mark of 258.75 against Alabama last November. Participating in the 3-meter dive, added another podium placement by scoring a 225.70 as the Privateers swept the Mustangs in diving.

 

In just the second year of the UNO diving program, Privateer diving coach Richard Marschner has now seen his divers lay claim to seven SBC Diver of the Week awards.

 

UNO will return to action on Nov. 6 to begin a two-day dual against Incarnate Word and the Rice women in Houston.

 

All-Time UNO Sun Belt Honors (Men)

 

Sun Belt Swimmer of the Week

Nov. 12, 2008    Birkir Mar Jonsson

Feb. 4, 2009    Petar Petrovic

Oct. 21, 2009    Jonas Grundstrom

 

 

Sun Belt Diver of the Week

Oct. 5, 2008    Johnny DeMaine/Jonathan Field

Nov. 26, 2008    Johnny DeMaine

Jan. 28, 2009    Jonathan Field

Oct. 21, 2009    Johnny DeMaine