NEW YORK – Two Wildcats have swept this week’s BIG EAST Swimming and Diving Athlete of the Week awards. Villanova diver Michael Perra garnered his second recognition in as many weeks, while teammate Darby Goodwin picks up her first of the season. Both athletes grabbed a pair of individual wins in their dual meet at Connecticut. Overall, the men and women split with the Huskies as the Villanova women came away victorious.
Over the weekend, Xavier men and women took the crown at the Butler Invite. The competition comprised of 10 women’s teams along with eight men’s teams. Providence men collected a win on the road against Maine over the weekend, while the women fell in a close contest by just five points. Last Friday, Seton Hall men and women prevailed with decisive wins over visiting Saint Peter’s.
BIG EAST Male Athlete of the Week
Michael Perra, Villanova, Jr., Diving (Hastings, Minn.)
Perra earned his second straight award by again sweeping both diving events this time at UConn. His score of 298.80 on 1-meter was 45 points greater than second, which also marked his second-best point total of the season. Perra also recorded the top mark on 3-meter with 303.45 points. The junior currently holds the best scores on each board in the BIG EAST this season.
BIG EAST Female Athlete of the Week
Darby Goodwin, Villanova, Sr., Back/Fly/IM (Jupiter, Fla.)
Goodwin guided the Wildcats to a win on the road against UConn by sweeping both backstroke events. She touched first in the 100 yard backstroke with a time of 56.71 and recorded a winning time of 2:03.83 in the 200 yard backstroke. Goodwin added a runner-up finish in the 200 yard individual medley, posting a time of 2:05.21. She was also part of the victorious 200 yard medley relay squad which clocked in at 1:45.55.