Brielle White Named ACC Swimmer of the Year

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March 28, 2006

Charlottesville, VA – Virginia senior Brielle White has been named the 2006 Atlantic Coast Conference Swimmer of the Year after several dominating performances at both the ACC and NCAA meets. Virginia head coach Mark Bernardino was selected the ACC Men’s Coach of the Year for the eighth straight season after leading his Cavaliers to their eighth consecutive league championship. All of the awards were determined by a vote of the league’s head coaches.

White became just the fifth two-time winner of the Swimmer of the Year award in league history, as she took the honor for the second straight season. White was a two-time First Team All-American this season, as she took bronze in the 100 backstroke at the NCAA Championships in a league-record time of 52.76, and was fourth in the 200 backstroke in an ACC-record 1:55.67. The Philadelphia, Pa., native was also the ACC champion in both events, and was named the ACC meet’s Most Valuable Swimmer in February as she helped the Cavaliers to a second-place finish.

Bernardino earned the top coaching honor in the league after leading his Cavaliers to their eighth consecutive league championship. Bernardino coached 10 swimmers that earned All-ACC honors in at least one event at the ACC Championships, and had seven earn Honorable Mention All-America status at the NCAA Championships last week. After guiding the Cavaliers to an 18th-place finish at the NCAA meet, Bernardino was named the league’s Coach of the Year for the 13th time in his career and eighth straight overall.