Upcoming Event: Swimming and Diving versus Friar Invitational on October 11, 2025 at 11:00 AM
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Providence College Athletics
Photo by: TOM MAGUIRE
Swimming And Diving Announces 2019-20 Award Winners During Virtual Banquet
4/19/2020 3:28:00 PM | Swimming and Diving
The Providence College men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams announced their 2019-20 season award winners on Sunday, April 19.
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The Providence College men's and women's swimming and diving teams announced their 2019-20 season award winners on Sunday, April 19. Due to global effects of the novel coronavirus, this was the first year PCSD hosted a Virtual Awards ceremony in 36 years, in place of their end-of-year awards brunch, which is typically well attended by the Friars and their families.
The Luciani Award was awarded to junior Lauren Zawacki (Marshfield, MA.) Named for Cindi Luciani '91, this award honors the women's Most Valuable Student-Athlete in dual and championship meet competition as voted by team members and coaching staff.  In dual meet competition, Zawacki was a consistent force for the Friars, scoring in the sprint freestyle events and commonly anchoring relays. At the 2020 Big East Championships, she helped the Friars to an outstanding meet, scoring 8thin the 50 Freestyle with a new school record and 15thin the 100 Freestyle, as well as contributing as part of all five relay efforts (four of which broke school records.
Sophomore Justin Viotto (Morristown, NJ) was honored with The Bowden Award for the second consecutive year. Named for Horace Bowden '89, this award honors the men's Most Valuable Student-Athlete in dual and championship meet competition, as voted by the coaching staff and team members. Viotto completed his sophomore season with the Friars by leading in team scoring for the 2019-2020 season with 322.5 points, bringing his all-time tally to 585 points in just two years. In November, Viotto represented the Friars at the Toyota US Open National Championships in Atlanta, GA. He was named to the Big East Weekly Honor Roll in October 2019 and was Big East Swimmer of the Week in January 2020. At the 2020 Big East Championships, Viotto set school records in all three of his individual events, scoring 7thin the 200 Butterfly, 3rdin the 400 Individual Medley and 2ndin the 1650 Freestyle for the Friars. He was also part of the record-setting 800 Freestyle Relay.Â
Freshman duo Aidan Hughes (Chatham, NJ) and Sally Alrtuz (Springfield, MA) were named winners of the O'Neill Family Award. Created in 2008 and named for Head Coach John O'Neill, the O'Neill Family Award honors the most valuable male and female freshmen athletes in meet competitions, as voted on by the team and coaching staff. Both Alrutz and Hughes had an immediate impact for the Friars in the Backstroke events, with Alrutz also contributing in sprint Butterfly and Hughes in sprint Freestyle events. At the Harold Anderson Invitational in November 2019, Hughes won all three of his individual events, and Alrutz was crowned first in two individual events. Both freshmen posted record-setting performances at the Big East Championships in the 200 Backstroke. Additionally, Alrutz claimed the 100 Backstroke record, Hughes edged the 50 Freestyle record at Big East, and both contributed to record-setting relays to round out their undeniably strong freshman seasons.
Sophomore Angela Brillantes (Swansea, MA) was recognized with the Clara Lamore Walker Award, while junior Andrew Ferrell (Atlanta, GA) earned recognition with the Jan and Brian Larkin Award for the second year in a row. These awards recognize the female and male athletes who have improved the most during the season, as voted on by the team and coaching staff. Brillantes emerged as a major player in the Friars' Backstroke and Butterfly arsenals throughout dual meet competition, culminating in lifetime best performances in the 100 Butterfly, 100 Backstroke and 200 Backstroke at Big East. Ferrell's continued development and versatility in Butterfly, Individual Medley and Freestyle events could not be ignored in the Friar lineup in 2019-2020. He posted all lifetime bests while scoring in the 200 Individual Medley and 100 & 200 Butterflies at the 2020 Big East Championships, lowering his two school records in the 100 Butterfly and 200 Individual Medley. Ferrell also provided the fastest split on the record-setting 800 Freestyle Relay, as well as contributing legs on the 200 Medley, 400 Medley and 400 Freestyle Relays, all new program records.Â
Senior Avery Pisani (Duxbury, MA) was recognized with the Sears Diving Award. This award, named for Patrick Sears '88 and Kevin Sears '93, honors the athlete who makes an outstanding contribution to the sport of diving at Providence College. Pisani, who transferred to Providence in her junior year, has been a consistent and leading presence since she arrived on the boards in Friartown just two seasons ago. She capped her career by qualifying and competing in the 1 Meter Diving Event at the 2020 Big East Championships.
Senior Kerry McCann (Merrimack, NH) and sophomore Matt Keane (Cortlandt Manor, NY) were honored with the David Hardy Coach's Awards. Named for David Hardy '89, this award honors the male and female student-athletes who exhibit those qualities which Hardy brought to the swimming and diving team: loyalty, dedication, good sportsmanship and outstanding effort in the pool and in the classroom. McCann has been a Backstroke stalwart throughout her career with the Friars, also competing in the 200 Individual Medley. She capped her career as leader for the Friars in the pool and the classroom, and swam to all lifetime bests at the 2019 Harold Anderson Invitational. Keane had a breakout year as a crucial player in the Friars' Breaststroke events, consistently scoring for the Friars in dual meet competition. At the Big East Championships, he scored 14thin the 100 Breaststroke, and swam all lifetime bests in his 100 & 200 Breaststroke and 200 Individual Medley events to cap his 2019-2020 season.
Â
The Providence College men's and women's swimming and diving teams announced their 2019-20 season award winners on Sunday, April 19. Due to global effects of the novel coronavirus, this was the first year PCSD hosted a Virtual Awards ceremony in 36 years, in place of their end-of-year awards brunch, which is typically well attended by the Friars and their families.
The Luciani Award was awarded to junior Lauren Zawacki (Marshfield, MA.) Named for Cindi Luciani '91, this award honors the women's Most Valuable Student-Athlete in dual and championship meet competition as voted by team members and coaching staff.  In dual meet competition, Zawacki was a consistent force for the Friars, scoring in the sprint freestyle events and commonly anchoring relays. At the 2020 Big East Championships, she helped the Friars to an outstanding meet, scoring 8thin the 50 Freestyle with a new school record and 15thin the 100 Freestyle, as well as contributing as part of all five relay efforts (four of which broke school records.
Sophomore Justin Viotto (Morristown, NJ) was honored with The Bowden Award for the second consecutive year. Named for Horace Bowden '89, this award honors the men's Most Valuable Student-Athlete in dual and championship meet competition, as voted by the coaching staff and team members. Viotto completed his sophomore season with the Friars by leading in team scoring for the 2019-2020 season with 322.5 points, bringing his all-time tally to 585 points in just two years. In November, Viotto represented the Friars at the Toyota US Open National Championships in Atlanta, GA. He was named to the Big East Weekly Honor Roll in October 2019 and was Big East Swimmer of the Week in January 2020. At the 2020 Big East Championships, Viotto set school records in all three of his individual events, scoring 7thin the 200 Butterfly, 3rdin the 400 Individual Medley and 2ndin the 1650 Freestyle for the Friars. He was also part of the record-setting 800 Freestyle Relay.Â
Freshman duo Aidan Hughes (Chatham, NJ) and Sally Alrtuz (Springfield, MA) were named winners of the O'Neill Family Award. Created in 2008 and named for Head Coach John O'Neill, the O'Neill Family Award honors the most valuable male and female freshmen athletes in meet competitions, as voted on by the team and coaching staff. Both Alrutz and Hughes had an immediate impact for the Friars in the Backstroke events, with Alrutz also contributing in sprint Butterfly and Hughes in sprint Freestyle events. At the Harold Anderson Invitational in November 2019, Hughes won all three of his individual events, and Alrutz was crowned first in two individual events. Both freshmen posted record-setting performances at the Big East Championships in the 200 Backstroke. Additionally, Alrutz claimed the 100 Backstroke record, Hughes edged the 50 Freestyle record at Big East, and both contributed to record-setting relays to round out their undeniably strong freshman seasons.
Sophomore Angela Brillantes (Swansea, MA) was recognized with the Clara Lamore Walker Award, while junior Andrew Ferrell (Atlanta, GA) earned recognition with the Jan and Brian Larkin Award for the second year in a row. These awards recognize the female and male athletes who have improved the most during the season, as voted on by the team and coaching staff. Brillantes emerged as a major player in the Friars' Backstroke and Butterfly arsenals throughout dual meet competition, culminating in lifetime best performances in the 100 Butterfly, 100 Backstroke and 200 Backstroke at Big East. Ferrell's continued development and versatility in Butterfly, Individual Medley and Freestyle events could not be ignored in the Friar lineup in 2019-2020. He posted all lifetime bests while scoring in the 200 Individual Medley and 100 & 200 Butterflies at the 2020 Big East Championships, lowering his two school records in the 100 Butterfly and 200 Individual Medley. Ferrell also provided the fastest split on the record-setting 800 Freestyle Relay, as well as contributing legs on the 200 Medley, 400 Medley and 400 Freestyle Relays, all new program records.Â
Senior Avery Pisani (Duxbury, MA) was recognized with the Sears Diving Award. This award, named for Patrick Sears '88 and Kevin Sears '93, honors the athlete who makes an outstanding contribution to the sport of diving at Providence College. Pisani, who transferred to Providence in her junior year, has been a consistent and leading presence since she arrived on the boards in Friartown just two seasons ago. She capped her career by qualifying and competing in the 1 Meter Diving Event at the 2020 Big East Championships.
Senior Kerry McCann (Merrimack, NH) and sophomore Matt Keane (Cortlandt Manor, NY) were honored with the David Hardy Coach's Awards. Named for David Hardy '89, this award honors the male and female student-athletes who exhibit those qualities which Hardy brought to the swimming and diving team: loyalty, dedication, good sportsmanship and outstanding effort in the pool and in the classroom. McCann has been a Backstroke stalwart throughout her career with the Friars, also competing in the 200 Individual Medley. She capped her career as leader for the Friars in the pool and the classroom, and swam to all lifetime bests at the 2019 Harold Anderson Invitational. Keane had a breakout year as a crucial player in the Friars' Breaststroke events, consistently scoring for the Friars in dual meet competition. At the Big East Championships, he scored 14thin the 100 Breaststroke, and swam all lifetime bests in his 100 & 200 Breaststroke and 200 Individual Medley events to cap his 2019-2020 season.
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 -Go Friars!-
Players Mentioned
Butterfly/IM
/ Swimming and Diving
Butterfly/IM
/ Swimming and Diving
Backstroke
/ Swimming and Diving
Backstroke/IM
/ Swimming and Diving
Diving
/ Swimming and Diving
Freestyle/IM
/ Swimming and Diving
Sprint Freestyle
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