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Providence College Athletics
Swimming and Diving Program Announces 2020-21 Award Winners
5/12/2021 1:58:00 PM | Swimming and Diving
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Providence College men's and women's swimming and diving teams announced their 2020-21 season award winners on Wednesday, May 12.
The Luciani Award was awarded to senior Katie Thornton (Fairfield, Conn.). 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. Leading the Friars in scoring during the season, Thornton was a consistent force for Providence in the both the sprint freestyle and butterfly events. At the 2021 BIG EAST Championships, she scored in all three of her individual events: the 50 & 100 freestyle and 100 butterfly. Additionally, Thornton was part of both the 200 and 400 medley relays as well as the 200 and 400 freestyle relays, which all scored for the Friars.
Junior Justin Viotto (Morristown, N.J.) was honored with The Bowden Award for the third 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 junior year with the Friars by leading in team scoring for the third year in a row. At the 2021 BIG EAST Championships, Viotto scored and set school records in all three of his individual events. He won the 200 butterfly, was second in the 400 individual medley and third in the 500 freestyle for the Friars. He was also part of the record-setting 800 freestyle and 400 medley relays.
Freshman duo Sami Martin (Harrington Park, N.J.) and Will Layden (Farmington, Conn.) were named winners of the O'Neill Family Award. Established 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 Martin and Layden had an immediate impact for the Friars in their events, with Martin becoming a mainstay in the distance freestyle and Layden in the freestyle and backstroke events. Martin scored in the 1650 freestyle at the 2021 BIG EAST Championships and also broke the freshman record in the 1000 freestyle. Layden scored and set new school records in the 50 freestyle and 100 Backstroke events at the BIG EAST Championships, while also swimming on the record-breaking 400 medley and the 200, 400 and 800 freestyle relays.
Sophomore Kerry Sheridan (Scarsdale, N.Y.) was recognized with the Clara Lamore Walker Award, and sophomore Kevin Hood (Lithonia, Ga.) earned recognition with the Jan and Brian Larkin Award. 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.  Sheridan had an outstanding BIG EAST Championship, recording best times in her 500, 1000 and 1650 freestyle. Hood won the 100 breaststroke at the 2021 Championships, winning an exciting race and becoming the first male Friar to win a BIG EAST title since the 1985-86 season. Hood was also the Friar's breaststroker on both the 200 and 400 medley relays, which also set school records.
The entire Class of 2021 was honored with the David Hardy Coach's Award. 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. Â The members of the Class of 2021 were cited for their perseverance and leadership during the extraordinary circumstances faced by all athletes in the program as a result of the Covid-19 Pandemic.
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The Luciani Award was awarded to senior Katie Thornton (Fairfield, Conn.). 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. Leading the Friars in scoring during the season, Thornton was a consistent force for Providence in the both the sprint freestyle and butterfly events. At the 2021 BIG EAST Championships, she scored in all three of her individual events: the 50 & 100 freestyle and 100 butterfly. Additionally, Thornton was part of both the 200 and 400 medley relays as well as the 200 and 400 freestyle relays, which all scored for the Friars.
Junior Justin Viotto (Morristown, N.J.) was honored with The Bowden Award for the third 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 junior year with the Friars by leading in team scoring for the third year in a row. At the 2021 BIG EAST Championships, Viotto scored and set school records in all three of his individual events. He won the 200 butterfly, was second in the 400 individual medley and third in the 500 freestyle for the Friars. He was also part of the record-setting 800 freestyle and 400 medley relays.
Freshman duo Sami Martin (Harrington Park, N.J.) and Will Layden (Farmington, Conn.) were named winners of the O'Neill Family Award. Established 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 Martin and Layden had an immediate impact for the Friars in their events, with Martin becoming a mainstay in the distance freestyle and Layden in the freestyle and backstroke events. Martin scored in the 1650 freestyle at the 2021 BIG EAST Championships and also broke the freshman record in the 1000 freestyle. Layden scored and set new school records in the 50 freestyle and 100 Backstroke events at the BIG EAST Championships, while also swimming on the record-breaking 400 medley and the 200, 400 and 800 freestyle relays.
Sophomore Kerry Sheridan (Scarsdale, N.Y.) was recognized with the Clara Lamore Walker Award, and sophomore Kevin Hood (Lithonia, Ga.) earned recognition with the Jan and Brian Larkin Award. 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.  Sheridan had an outstanding BIG EAST Championship, recording best times in her 500, 1000 and 1650 freestyle. Hood won the 100 breaststroke at the 2021 Championships, winning an exciting race and becoming the first male Friar to win a BIG EAST title since the 1985-86 season. Hood was also the Friar's breaststroker on both the 200 and 400 medley relays, which also set school records.
The entire Class of 2021 was honored with the David Hardy Coach's Award. 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. Â The members of the Class of 2021 were cited for their perseverance and leadership during the extraordinary circumstances faced by all athletes in the program as a result of the Covid-19 Pandemic.
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-Go Friars!-
Players Mentioned
Breastroke
/ Swimming and Diving
Freestyle
/ Swimming and Diving
Freestyle/Butterfly
/ Swimming and Diving
Freestyle/IM
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