May 4, 2012

Photo Gallery

Bronx, N.Y. -

As the 2011-12 season begins to wind down, the Fordham University Athletic Department held its 78th annual Block F Awards Dinner at the Villa Barone Manor on May 2nd to honor Fordham University's student-athletes for their accomplishments during the academic year.

Among those honored were Courtney Collyer (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph by the Sea) and Brienne Ryan (New Windsor, N.Y./Cornwall) who were named the 2011-12 Women's Swimming co-MVPs. Additionally, Collyer also received the Terence O'Donnell Award.

The Terence J. O'Donnell Memorial Award is presented to the Fordham athlete who best exemplifies the qualities of sportsmanship, loyalty, dedication and self-discipline. The award is in memory of Terry O'Donnell, a 1955 graduate who died in a military plane crash shortly after graduation.

A two-year captain of the women's swimming and diving team who was also named team co-MVP, Collyer led by example through hard work and dedication to guide her team into contention for the Atlantic 10 championship in each of her four seasons at Fordham with the Rams winning their first ever title in 2009 and placing second the past two years. She has been a true leader of the team, a champion who hates to lose and strives for excellence, and one who always puts the success of the team first.

Just because Collyer put the team first doesn't mean she didn't pull her own weight. The senior has numerous individual accolades as she leaves Fordham as one of the most decorated champions in her team's history, capturing eight Atlantic 10 event titles, including a rare four-peat as champion of the 200-yard butterfly event.

Ryan, a junior Communications & Media Studies major who was named to the Academic All-Atalntci1 0 Conference Team, earned All-Atlantic 10 honors in seven events, while setting three individual school records, as well as one relay record at the 2012 Atlantic 10 Championship. She was the Atlantic 10 Champion in the 50-yard freestyle event (23.18), as well as in the 800 freestyle relay, and also earned Second Team All-Atlantic 10 honors in the 100- and 200-yard backstroke events, the 200- and 400-yard medley relay, and the 400-yard freestyle relay.

Ryan had another record breaking season, setting new school marks in the 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle (50.62), 100 backstroke (52.88), 200 backstroke (1:54.67), and with the 400 freestyle relay (3:23.70). She capped her season at the NCAA Swimming & Diving Championship, competing in the 100 and 200 backstroke, finishing 20th and 17th, respectively.