Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota and Purdue Earn Big Ten Men’s Swimming and Diving Awards
ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Big Ten Conference announced the 2021 Big Ten Men’s Swimmer, Diver, Swimming Coach and Diving Coach of the Year awards, as voted on by the conference coaches. Indiana’s Andrew Capobianco was awarded Diver of the Year, Michigan’s Mike Bottom was honored as Swimming Coach of the Year, Minnesota’s Max McHugh earned Swimmer of the Year and Purdue’s Adam Soldati was named Diving Coach of the Year.
McHugh earned unanimous Swimmer of the Year plaudits after earning gold in the 100-yard breaststroke (50.18) and 200-yard breaststroke (1:49.02) at the NCAA Championships. With his 50.18 time in the 100-yard breaststroke on Friday night, McHugh earned Minnesota’s first NCAA individual men’s swimming title in 57 years (Walt Richardson, 1967 – 100-yard butterfly) and set a Minnesota-best in the event. The junior posted Greensboro Aquatic Center pool records in both events and became the first swimmer in Minnesota men’s history to win two NCAA titles.
McHugh also swept the breaststroke events at the 2021 Big Ten Swimming Championships, finishing the 100-yard breaststroke in 50.59 and the 200-breaststroke in 1:50.93. The Sturgeon Bay, Wis., native set a new Big Ten Championships meet record in the prelims of the 100-yard breaststroke by touching in 50.19.
Capobianco was voted Diver of the Year unanimously after winning the 3-meter event (505.20) at the NCAA Championships for the second time in his career. He became only the second Hoosier in men’s program history to defend their title (Jim Henry, 1969-70). The junior finished first at the Big Ten Diving Championships on the 1-meter board with 437.35 points and fourth on the 3-meter board with 414.80 points, earning him Co-Diver of the Championships honors.
Bottom earned Big Ten Swimming Coach of the Year honors for the second season in a row after the Wolverines won their second conference title in as many years. Bottom received Big Ten Men’s Swimming Coach of the Year accolades for the seventh time in his career and second since earning five consecutive honors from 2011-15. Michigan earned its 42nd Big Ten Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships title under Bottom’s guidance in 2021, when the Wolverines won three Big Ten individual or relay titles, set 49 new career bests and had 11 swimmers reach the all-time top performers list. Michigan and Bottom finished their season 12th at the NCAA Championships with four All-Americans.
Soldati earns his seventh Big Ten Men’s Diving Coach of the Year title (2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2017, 2021). Soldati claims the award after helping Brandon Loschiavo and Ben Bramley finish first and second, respectively, on the platform dive at the NCAA Championships. Adding to the All-American count, Greg Duncan finished fifth on the 3-meter. Soldati guided the duo of Loschaivo and Bramley at the Big Ten Diving Championships as they finished first and third on platform and Loschaivo picked up 23 more points with a seventh-place finish on the 3-meter.
Swimmer of the Year
Max McHugh, Jr., Minnesota*
Diver of the Year
Andrew Capobianco, Jr., Indiana*
Swimming Coach of the Year
Mike Bottom, Michigan
Diving Coach of the Year
Adam Soldati, Purdue
*Unanimous