Max Spencer Named Big 12 Swimmer of the Week
January 20, 2016 02:34 PM | Men's Swimming & Diving
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – After winning all four individual races to open the new year and helping his team to a pair of wins, West Virginia University senior swimmer Max Spencer has been named the Big 12 Men’s Swimmer of the Week by the Big 12 Conference.
Spencer won all four individual races, sweeping the breaststroke events against Pitt and at TCU. The victories, along with a first-place finish in the 200 medley relay vs. Pitt, helped the Mountaineers down the Panthers in the annual Backyard Brawl on Jan. 9, before a Big 12 road win at TCU on Jan. 16.
“Max is training and competing at a very high level, which is great to see,” WVU coach Vic Riggs said. “I think getting his Olympic Trial cut in December gave him the added motivation to have an excellent winter training camp and start of the championship portion of our season. I think breaking 2:00 minutes in the 200 breast right now is really good for him and sets him up well for the rest of his season.”
The award is the first of Spencer’s career and the third for the Mountaineers this season. On Nov. 5, senior swimmer Andrew Marsh and sophomore diver Alex Obendorf were named the Big 12 Men’s Swimmer and Diver of the Week.
A Chicago, native, Spencer opened 2016 with wins in all three events against Pitt. He posted a 55.64 in the 100 breaststroke and a 2:01.21 in the 200 breaststroke, along with a 25.14 to help WVU to a victory in the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:32.18.
At TCU, Spencer’s bested last week’s times with two wins, a 55.10 in the 100 breaststroke and a 1:59.32 in the 200 breaststroke, which gave WVU valuable points in a close Big 12 win.
In the 100 breaststroke, Spencer won by 0.98 seconds against Pitt and 0.42 seconds at TCU, while he posted margins of victory of 6.06 seconds vs. Pitt and 5.09 seconds at TCU in the 200 breaststroke. In the 200 medley relay, Spencer’s 25.14 vs. Pitt was the fastest among breastrokers, while his 25.35 at TCU was the second-fastest.
Spencer and the Mountaineers are home to host their final home meet of the season with Senior Night on Friday, Jan. 29, at 5 p.m. The men and women compete against Villanova, while the women will also face Big 12 foe Iowa State.
At the meet, which will now begin an hour earlier at 5 p.m., WVU will honor its 15 seniors, Morgan Emter, Kelsey Frantz, Aidan Fumagalli, Jaimee Gillmore, Ross Glegg, Jay Hickey, Jake Iotte, Natalie Johnsen, Emma Luigard, Andrew Marsh, Courtney Miller, Katie Murto, Lindsay Schmidt, Max Spencer and Chase Williams.
#Big12SD: @WVUSwimming's Max Spencer is the #Big12 Male Swimmer of the Week following top finishes in four events. pic.twitter.com/1gyrmLGBOe
— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) January 20, 2016
For more information on the Mountaineers, visit WVUsports.com and follow the team on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
SWIM: Paper Airplane Competition
Wednesday, February 11
SWIM: Villanova/Duquesne Recap
Monday, January 26
SWIM: 50 Freestyle Race with a Twist
Wednesday, December 10
SWIM: Loyola (Md.) Recap
Wednesday, November 05
