Men’s Swimming Sweeps Annual Conference Awards For Second-Straight Year
3/31/2016 10:15:00 AM | Swimming
Bilis is the fourth in league history to repeat Swimmer of the Year honor
GREENSBORO, N.C.- The NC State men's swimming and diving team swept the swimming annual conference awards for the second consecutive year, as announced by the ACC office Thursday morning.
Braden Holloway was named ACC Men's Swimming Coach of the Year, while Simonas Bilis earned ACC Male Swimmer of the Year and Justin Ress tabbed ACC Male Freshman of the Year honors.
For Holloway, who just finished up his fifth season at the helm of the Wolfpack, this marks his third coaching award. For Bilis this is his second-straight year winning ACC Male Swimmer of the Year, as he is the fourth in league history to repeat the honor.
The year prior to Holloway and his staff taking over, the NC State men finished eighth in the conference in 2010. Since the current staff has been in place the Wolfpack earned back-to-back ACC Championship titles in 2015 and '16.
On the national level, the program has improved from one male swimmer qualifying for the 2012 NCAA Championships to tying the program's highest placement ever in 2016 with a fourth-place finish.
"On behalf of the swimming and diving coaching staff and men's team, I thank the ACC office and my fellow ACC coaches for acknowledging our coaching staff's hard work and presenting us with this Coach of the Year award. I have great coaches that work with me, and together our work can help guide our student-athletes toward success," said head coach Braden Holloway.
"This award is a reflection of not only this staff's dedication to the program and the student athlete's process, but a reflection of the desire these young men have to succeed and their passion for tradition on a day-to-day basis."
Bilis ended a successful campaign at NC State with an NCAA Championship title in the 400 freestyle relay and 19 All-America honors, which is the most of any student-athlete in school history. He additionally is a 16-time ACC Champion and school and conference record holder in seven events.
The Panevezys, Lithuania, native finished his career as the fastest male swimmer in the conference in the 50, 100 and 200 free, as he tabbed top-three finishes in all three events at the 2016 NCAA Championships.
"Simi has been an unbelievable student-athlete for our program. His appetite for success is not only second to none, but is contagious to his teammates around him. He was a dominant force this year and certainly has helped lead our acceleration within the ACC and NCAA," Holloway said on Bilis' accomplishment.
Ress, a Cary, N.C., native, was a member of the Pack's 800 freestyle relay that earned an ACC title and a runner-up finish at the NCAA Championships. At the ACC Championships he earned top-eight finishes in the 200 backstroke, 200 individual medley and 200 free, and competed in the 200 IM and 200 back at NCAAs.
"Justin has been a great addition to the men's program and the storied tradition it carries. He jumped right in this year not only making huge contributions in the pool, but also in the classroom. He has an intense work ethic and brings a fire within every single practice, and that fire was unleashed at the ACC and NCAA Championships," Holloway added on Ress' honor.
Braden Holloway was named ACC Men's Swimming Coach of the Year, while Simonas Bilis earned ACC Male Swimmer of the Year and Justin Ress tabbed ACC Male Freshman of the Year honors.
For Holloway, who just finished up his fifth season at the helm of the Wolfpack, this marks his third coaching award. For Bilis this is his second-straight year winning ACC Male Swimmer of the Year, as he is the fourth in league history to repeat the honor.
The year prior to Holloway and his staff taking over, the NC State men finished eighth in the conference in 2010. Since the current staff has been in place the Wolfpack earned back-to-back ACC Championship titles in 2015 and '16.
On the national level, the program has improved from one male swimmer qualifying for the 2012 NCAA Championships to tying the program's highest placement ever in 2016 with a fourth-place finish.
"On behalf of the swimming and diving coaching staff and men's team, I thank the ACC office and my fellow ACC coaches for acknowledging our coaching staff's hard work and presenting us with this Coach of the Year award. I have great coaches that work with me, and together our work can help guide our student-athletes toward success," said head coach Braden Holloway.
"This award is a reflection of not only this staff's dedication to the program and the student athlete's process, but a reflection of the desire these young men have to succeed and their passion for tradition on a day-to-day basis."
Bilis ended a successful campaign at NC State with an NCAA Championship title in the 400 freestyle relay and 19 All-America honors, which is the most of any student-athlete in school history. He additionally is a 16-time ACC Champion and school and conference record holder in seven events.
The Panevezys, Lithuania, native finished his career as the fastest male swimmer in the conference in the 50, 100 and 200 free, as he tabbed top-three finishes in all three events at the 2016 NCAA Championships.
"Simi has been an unbelievable student-athlete for our program. His appetite for success is not only second to none, but is contagious to his teammates around him. He was a dominant force this year and certainly has helped lead our acceleration within the ACC and NCAA," Holloway said on Bilis' accomplishment.
Ress, a Cary, N.C., native, was a member of the Pack's 800 freestyle relay that earned an ACC title and a runner-up finish at the NCAA Championships. At the ACC Championships he earned top-eight finishes in the 200 backstroke, 200 individual medley and 200 free, and competed in the 200 IM and 200 back at NCAAs.
"Justin has been a great addition to the men's program and the storied tradition it carries. He jumped right in this year not only making huge contributions in the pool, but also in the classroom. He has an intense work ethic and brings a fire within every single practice, and that fire was unleashed at the ACC and NCAA Championships," Holloway added on Ress' honor.
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