Towson University Athletics

Scoreboard

Men's Swimming and Diving 4.16.2021 John Stark

Benzing, Shrum Collect CAA Major Awards

RICHMOND, Va. -- After bringing home the first CAA Championship in Towson University men's swimming and diving history, two Tigers, Brian Benzing and head coach Jake Shrum, collected major awards from the league office. The Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) made its announcement Friday morning.

Benzing was tabbed as the CAA Men's Swimmer of the Year while Shrum was selected as the CAA Men's Coach of the Year. This is the fourth time in the last five seasons a Tiger has been named CAA Men's Swimmer of the Year as Benzing joins three-time winner Jack Saunderson (2017, 2018, 2019). Shrum is the first Towson head coach to be named CAA Men's Swimming Coach of the Year, ending a six-year run with a William & Mary head coach as Coach or Co-Coach of the Year.

In his first season at Towson, Benzing rewrote the record books, dropping the program record in the 100-yard breaststroke by more than three seconds. In the finals, he set the new program, CAA meet and overall record in the event at 52.57 seconds, breaking his own mark set during the preliminary heat. He won the finals by nearly a full second. Benzing was key in several relays as Towson captured four of five relay events at the championship meet. During the 2020-21 season, Benzing went unbeaten in the 100-yard breaststroke, resetting the program record nearly every time he entered the pool. Benzing was also named Most Outstanding Swimmer at the conclusion of the championship meet.

Concluding his fifth season as the full time head coach of the Towson men's and women's swimming and diving programs, Shrum helped guide the Towson men to the program's first-ever CAA Championship, doing so in dominate fashion as the Tigers scored 842.50 points, clearing second place UNCW's 619. The 2020-21 title was Towson's first league title on the men's side since 1981-82.

The full complement of major award winners is listed below.

Men's Awards
Swimmer of the Year: Brian Benzing, Towson
Rookie Swimmer of the Year: Will Goldey, UNCW
Diver of the Year: Kolbein Bjugan, UNCW
Rookie Diver of the Year: Jack Patton, Drexel
Men's Swimming Coach of the Year: Jake Shrum, Towson
Men's Diving Coach of the Year: Beau Bunn, UNCW

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Jack Saunderson: Fly/Back; Senior; Business Management

Brian Benzing: Breast/IM/Free; 6' 2"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

Jack Saunderson
: Senior; Business Management
: Fly/Back

Brian Benzing
: 6' 2"; Freshman
: Breast/IM/Free