ERIE, Pa.  – The Penn State Behrend men’s and women’s swimming and diving squads have announced their team awards for the 2010-11 season.

On the women’s side, senior Katie Van Epps was named Most Valuable Swimmer while MaryEllen Spooner earned Most Improved Swimmer.  Both were a part of the record-breaking relay teams at the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) Championships and earned First-Team All-Conference.  Spooner set the school record for the 100 and 200 back, while Van Epps also broke the 400 IM record for the Lions.

Freshman Rachael Ragen received Rookie of the Year and Julie Cook was presented the Sportsmanship and Leadership Award for her performance in and out of the pool.  Ragen earned the high point honors at the AMCC championship meet, winning three individual events and helping the Lions’ place first in four relays.  The newcomer also broke four team records this season. Cook received All-Conference honors and broke the 200 breaststroke record.

For the men, sophomore Clay Altemose was named Most Valuable Swimmer and Most Improved went to freshman Cody Mastowski. Altemose earned All-AMCC first-team honors in three individual events and broke the school record in the 100 back, 100 and 200 butterfly.

The Co-Rookie of the Year was given to freshman diver Lucas Kachurick and Steve Torre. Kachurick is the program’s first male diver to qualify for the DIII Championships. He was named the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) Diver of the Year after winning both the 1m and 3m diving competitions at the AMCC Championships. He set all four school records for six and 11 dives in both events and was named Grove City Invitational Diver of the Meet. Brian Mong was given the Sportsmanship and Leadership Award.