March 28, 2007

BLACKSBURG, Va. -- Virginia Tech women's swimmer Jessica Botzum was named the Atlantic Coast Conference's Swimmer of the Year, Tuesday, by the league office. A junior, Botzum is the first Tech swimmer to be honored with the conference's top award. The recipients are determined by a vote of the league's head coaches.

"We are very happy for Jessica, as she has truly earned this accolade," Ned Skinner, Virginia Tech's swimming and diving head coach, said. "She lives the life in every sense and is a role model student-athlete for the ACC and Virginia Tech."

A native of Raleigh, N.C., Botzum was the only ACC swimmer to earn All-America honors in two events at the 2007 NCAA Championships, taking Top 8 finishes in the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke events. At the 2007 ACC Championships, Botzum became the first Tech swimmer to win two individual events at the conference meet. Her two titles came in the 200-yard breaststroke and the 200-yard individual medley. In the 100-yard breaststroke, she finished in the runner-up spot.

"This award punctuates a fantastic season for Jessica and our women's program," Skinner said. "I know how much swimming means to her and how gratified she is to be named our conference's Swimmer of the Year."

Botzum owns both the school and pool records in the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke, all set this season. She also recorded the fastest mark in the program's history in the 200-yard individual medley. Botzum earned Tech's first ACC Freshman of the Year award in swimming and diving, as well.

Miami's Jenna Dreyer and Brittany Viola were named Diver of the Year and Freshman of the Year, respectively, while North Carolina's Frank Comfort earned the ACC Coach of the Year nod.