Jan. 23, 2008

Rice's Brittany Massengale is the Conference USA Swimmer of the Week after winning three individual events and swimming as a member of a winning relay as the Owls defeated the University of North Texas in a dual meet Saturday. Houston's Ginni van Katwijk is the Diver of the Week. van Katwijk was the Cougars' leading diver during a road swing through north Texas as she swept both events at North Texas and earned second- and fourth-place finishes at No. 12 SMU.

SWIMMER OF THE WEEK (1/23)
BRITTANY MASSENGALE - Rice
So., Alma, Arkansas (Alma)
Massengale won three individual events and swam as a member of a winning relay as the Owls defeated the University of North Texas in a dual meet Saturday in Denton. Massengale had an impressive accomplishment with back-to-back victories. The Alma, Ark., native won the rugged 1,000-yard freestyle and then came back and won the very next event, the 200-yard freestyle. She then led a 1-2 Rice finish in the 500-freestyle and swam the third leg of the Owls' winning 400-free relay. The weekly award is the fifth of Massengale's career, her second in 2007-08 (Oct. 16).

DIVER OF THE WEEK (1/23)
GINNI VAN KAWIJK
Sr. Grootebroek, Netherlands (Wyoming)
van Katwijk was the Cougars' leading diver during a road swing through north Texas last weekend. The senior swept both events at North Texas and earned second- and fourth-place finishes at No. 12 SMU. van Katwijk won the 1-meter event with 262.73 points against UNT and finished first on the 3-meter board with 273.08 points. Her efforts helped lead the Cougars to a sweep of the Top Three places in both events. At SMU she finished second on the 1-meter board with 269.69 points, less than one point from event winner and teammate Courtney Forcucci. van Katwik placed fourth on the 3-meter board with 267.07 points. This is van Katwijk's second career C-USA weekly honor, her first in 2008.