Courtesy: CAA Sports
RICHMOND, Va. (November 9, 2021) – The CAA recognized its weekly award winners in men’s swimming and diving as well as the top freshman performers for the months of September and October.
UNCW freshman Jacob Duracinsky was honored as the Men’s Swimmer of the Week, while Men’s Diver of the Week honors went to Towson junior Ajani Dorner. Delaware junior Mira Selling and James Madison sophomore Jessica Pryne shared Women’s Swimmer of the Week accolades, while JMU sophomore Lexi Lehman was named Women’s Diver of the Week.
The CAA also recognized the top freshman performers during the months of September and October. UNCW’s Aidan Duffy was chosen as the Men’s Rookie Swimmer of the Month, UNCW’s Brooke Knisely was tabbed as the Women’s Rookie Swimmer of the Month, and JMU’s Alexa Holloway was selected as the Women’s Rookie Diver of the Month.
CAA Men’s Swimmer of the Week
Jacob Duracinsky, Fr., UNCW (Holly Springs, N.C./Southern Wake Academy)
Duracinsky won two events, was part of two second-place relay teams and had a third-place finish as UNCW defeated both Delaware and William & Mary in last weekend’s CAA Pod meet. The freshman captured the 200 IM in a time of 1:51.53, which is the fastest in the league this season, and also took gold in the 200 free with a time of 1:41.34. He was part of second-place teams in the 400 medley relay and 400 free relay, and recorded the fastest 100 free time in the CAA (45.33) in the relay.
CAA Women’s Co-Swimmer of the Week
Jessica Pryne, So., James Madison (Cornwall, N.Y./Cornwall Central)
Pryne excelled in four events to help James Madison top conference foes UNCW, Delaware and William & Mary at last weekend’s CAA Pod meet. The sophomore took gold in the 400 IM with a time of 4:22.29, which set a UNCW pool record, was the fastest in the conference this year and ranked 7th in JMU history. She also placed first in the 500 free with a conference-best time of 5:00.71. Pryne was second in the 200 IM (2:04.64) and was JMU’s top finisher in the 200 fly (2:06.05).
CAA Women’s Co-Swimmer of the Week
Mira Selling, Jr., Delaware (Dresden, Germany/Sportschule Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn)
Selling took first place and set pool records in three events during last week’s CAA pod meet with JMU, UNCW and William & Mary. The junior finished first in the 200 IM with a pool-record time of 2:03.92 that was the fastest in the league. She set another pool record with a first-place effort in the 200 free with a time of 1:49.88, which is the CAA’s fastest by nearly three seconds. Selling capped her weekend by winning the 200 fly by more than two seconds with a pool-record and CAA-best time of 2:02.39.
CAA Men’s Diver of the Week
Ajani Dorner, Jr., Towson (Easton, Pa./Easton Area)
Dorner swept both boards in Towson’s meet with local rival UMBC last week. The junior posted a score of 274.87 on the 1-meter board, winning the event by nearly 20 points. He also captured the 3-meter competition with a score of 262.80.
CAA Women’s Diver of the Week
Lexi Lehman, So., James Madison (Orefield, Pa./Parkland)
Lehman posted a first and second-place finish as JMU went 3-0 in its CAA Pod meet with Delaware, UNCW and William & Mary. The sophomore won the 3-meter competition with a NCAA Zone qualifying score of 293.40. Lehman placed second on the 1-meter board with a personal-best score of 255.90.
CAA Men’s Rookie Swimmer of the Month
Aidan Duffy, Fr., UNCW (Richmond, Va./Douglas Freeman)
In his season debut against ACC foes Duke and Boston College, Duffy posted five times that ranked in the top four of the CAA this season. His time of 1:52.77 in the 200 IM was the best in the conference, while his 400 IM time of 4:02.94 ranked second. Duffy also recorded fourth-best times in the 500 free (4:43.83), 100 breast (57.71) and 200 breast (2:05.12).
CAA Women’s Rookie Swimmer of the Month
Brooke Knisely, R-Fr., UNCW (Richmond, Va./Douglas Freeman)
Knisely turned in a pair of fifth-place finishes in the 500 and 1000 free against Tennessee, with her time of 5:12.96 ranking as the fourth-best in the CAA. She also placed second in the 1000 and third in the 500 in a meet against Duke and Boston College. Knisely’s 200 free time of 1:56.89 against Duke and BC was the sixth-best in the conference.
CAA Women’s Rookie Diver of the Month
Alexa Holloway, Fr., James Madison (Spring, Texas/Klein Oak)
Holloway recorded first and second-place performances on the 3-meter board in her two October competitions, including a winning score of 269.03 against Duquesne. She had a pair of fifth-place finishes on the 1-meter board, with her best score of 255.75 coming against Duquesne.