Nov. 6, 2007

Complete Release in PDF Format

IRVING, Texas - Houston's Sasha Schwendenwein earns this week's Conference USA Swimmer of the Week award after winning four individual events and leading the Cougars to a 2-1 week during a road trip through Florida. Her four wins came in four different events (200 free, 500 free, 200 IM, 100 butterfly) and she also swam the anchor leg of the Cougars' winning 200-yard medley relay. Teammate Courtney Forcucci is the Diver of the Week. Forcucci was the only diver to crack 300 points. The freshman won the 3-meter event with a career-best 301.73 against Miami (Fla.) and swept both diving events at the tri-meet with Florida International and Indian River Community College.

SWIMMER OF THE WEEK (11/6)
SASHA SCHWENDENWEIN - Houston
Jr., Randburg, South Africa (Crawford College)
Schwendenwein helped lead the Cougars to a 2-1 week during a road trip through Florida. The junior won two events during each meet, marking the third consecutive meet in which she won at least one individual event. At Miami (Fla.) she won the 200-yard freestyle with a clocking of 1:52.82 to finish nearly four seconds ahead of her closest competition. Then she captured first place in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 5:02.39 to finish nearly five seconds ahead of the second-place finisher. The South African later finished second in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 58.77. At Houston's tri-meet with FIU and Indian River CC, she won back-to-back events to help lead the Cougars to the tri-meet sweep. Schwendenwein took first in the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 2:09.16 and finished first in the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 58.41, making her the only swimmer to crack the 1-minute mark in that event. She also swam the anchor leg of the Cougars' winning 200-yard medley relay team that posted a time of 1:53.46. The weekly award is the second of Schwendenwein's career.

DIVER OF THE WEEK (11/6)
COUTRNEY FORCUCCI - Houston
Fr., Fort Mill, S.C. (Fort Mill)
Forcucci was integral in helping the Cougars to a 2-1 weekend. She won at least one event during each meet and was the only diver to crack 300 points in both meets. Against Miami (Fla.) the freshman won the 3-meter event with a career-best 301.73 points and finished third on the 1-meter board with 245.78 points. At the tri-meet with FIU and Indian River CC, she helped lead the Cougars to a sweep of the top three places while winning both events. Forcucci scored 267.90 points on the 1-meter board to finish 0.08 points ahead of teammate and senior diving captain Ginni van Katwijk. She then scored 301.20 points on the 3-meter board as the only diver to crack 300 points. This is Forcucci's first career weekly diving honor.