NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame announced its team and athletes of the year on Wednesday. Fittingly, the Female Amateur Team of the Year is the Tennessee Swimming and Diving Program which was scheduled to receive our Newschannel 5 Curtain Call salute later that night.
The Lady Vols were perhaps the state’s best chance to win a national championship this year. They had dominated their schedule and climbed to no. 3 in the national rankings behind only Stanford and Virginia.
Star senior Erika Brown won the Commissioner's Trophy for capturing the most points in the S-E-C this season, then followed it up as Swimmer of the Meet at the SEC Championships in late February. Brown took home the crowns in the 50 and 100-meter freestyle, and the 100-meter butterfly to lead Tennessee to its first ever SEC Championship.
Tess Cieplucha and Meghan Small also won individual titles as the Lady Vols made history for coach Matt Kredich, who is in his 15th season on Rocky Top.
The Lady Vols did not got their crack at the program's first national championship this year. But, they still made history, got an invite to the state athletics’ hall of fame, and earned this Curtain Call.
