Wolfpack Sweeps 2015 Men's Swimming ACC Awards
4/6/2015 12:00:00 AM | Swimming
GREENSBORO, N.C.- Head coach Braden Holloway and swimmers Simonas Bilis and Anton Ipsen of the NC State swimming and diving team swept the 2015 men's swimming Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) awards, as announced by the office Monday.
Holloway was tabbed as the Men's Coach of the Year, Bilis earned Men's Swimmer of the Year and Ipsen was named Men's Freshman of the Year.
Bilis, a junior from Panevezys, Lithuania, led the Wolfpack to its first ACC Championship since 1992. Bilis earned Most Valuable Swimmer of the meet after setting ACC conference and championship records in the 100 free and 400 free relay, while earning additional gold medals in the 50 free and 200 free.
At NCAAs, he received five All-America recognitions, including top eight finishes in the 50 free and the 100 free, where he again broke the conference record.
At the 2015 ACCs, NC State's Ipsen was the champion in the 500 free competition, defeating his closest opponent by over two seconds. The freshman also claimed a gold medal in the 1650 free, winning by nearly nine seconds. At the NCAAs, Ipsen finished fifth in the 1650 to garner All-America honors and earned honorable mention All-America recognition in the 500 free as well.
Holloway led the Wolfpack to its 25th ACC title overall and his first as head coach. At the 2015 NCAAs the Wolfpack made program history as they came away with 8th place finish, tying the fifth-highest finish in program history and the highest finish under the current coaching staff.
NC State racked up 26 All-America mentions, three runner-up finishes and one bronze medal at the national level.