The Iowa swimming and diving team held its annual awards banquet on April 14 and announced team captains for the 2012-13 season.

Freshman Becky Stoughton was named the MVP of the women’s swim team. The award capped a season in which the Peoria, Ill., native set school records in the 400 individual medley and the 200, 500, 1,000, and 1,650 freestyles.

She was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year following her all-conference performance at the Big Ten championships and earned honorable mention All-American honors after finishing ninth in the 1,650 free at the NCAA meet.

Senior Paul Gordon claimed his third-consecutive MVP honor for the men’s swim team. He owns the school record in the 100 freestyle and earned All-American honors for his efforts on the 200-, 400-, and 800-freestyle relays. The 200- and 400-free relays claimed the Big Ten crown in 2012.

Senior diver Veronica Rydze was honored as the women’s diving MVP for the second-straight year. The Iowa City native — the daughter of recently retired diving coach Bob Rydze — led the team on both the 1- and 3-meter springboard, and her best scores in both events rank third in school history. She qualified for the NCAA meet for the second-consecutive season following her performance on the 1-meter springboard at the Big Ten championships.

Sophomore Osvel Molina earned the men’s diving MVP after leading the team in all diving events this season. His top score of 354.10 points on the 1-meter springboard is the fourth-best tally in school history.

The Hawkeyes announced senior-to-be April Allen, junior-to-be Abby Tuchscherer, and sophomores-to-be Abby Grilli and Elaine Boosalis as the women’s 2012-13 captains. The men’s captains for next season are seniors-to-be Jordan Huff and Patrick Weigand, junior-to-be Kyle Noser, and sophomore-to-be Mike Vinyard.

— by Tork Mason