The Texas A&M men’s swimming and diving teams closed out the 2015-16 school year with a celebration of the season at the annual team banquet at the Hall of Champions at Kyle Field on Saturday.
Highlighting the afternoon’s festivities was sophomore swimmer Jonathan Tybur receiving the coveted Aggie Heart Award, which is given annually to the team member who best exemplifies what it means to be an Aggie – always putting the team’s needs ahead of their own while setting a positive example both in and out of the water, and striving to push others to be their best.
Tybur, from The Woodlands, Texas, also earned the team’s Most Improved Award and was announced as a team captain for the 2016-17 season. Tybur scored in three individual races at the 2016 SEC Championships and posted lifetime bests in 2016 that rank in the school’s all-time top 10 in the 100 and 200 breaststroke and the 400 IM.
The Most Valuable Award – in memory of Danny Green ’46 was earned by sophomore swimmer Mauro Castillo, who set school records in the 100- and 200-yard breaststrokes and was named honorable mention All-American for the first time after placing 10th in the 200 breaststroke at the NCAA Championships. Castillo, from Zacatecas, Mexico, lowered his own school record in the 200 breast four times in 2015-16, culminating with a 1:54.35 at NCAAs. He broke the 100 breast record for the first time in the SEC prelims and then lowered it in the finals with a time of 52.65 while earning a trip to the award podium with a third-place finish.
Men’s Team Honors:
Most Valuable Award in memory of Danny Green ‘46:
Mauro Castillo (Zacatecas, Mexico), swimmer
Most Improved Award:
Jonathan Tybur (The Woodlands, Texas), swimmer
Trey Heye Memorial Walk-on Award:
Juan Rocha (McAllen, Texas), swimmer
Aggie Heart Award:
Jonathan Tybur (The Woodlands, Texas), swimmer
Peformance of the Year Coaches’ Award
With the team’s sights set on returning to the top 25 in the NCAA team standings, the Aggies needed a top eight individual finish to boost them toward their goal. Sophomore Tyler Henschel responded with a 408.10 point total in the prelims of three-meter dive to qualify for the Championship final. The Aggies went on to achieve their goal with a No. 25 overall finish at the 2016 NCAA Championships.
2016-17 Team Captains:
Turker Ayar, Mauro Castillo, Colton Haffey and Jonathan Tybur
Swimming news courtesy of Texas A&M Swimming and Diving.