DALLAS -- Following another great, record-setting season, Conference USA has announced the swimming and diving superlative awards for the 2021-22 season. Eight-time C-USA champion FIU leads the league with three awards. Rice and Marshall student-athletes also received individual honors. The superlative awards of Swimmer, Freshman Swimmer, Diver, Freshman Diver and Newcomer of the Year were chosen by a vote of the league's head coaches.
 
2021-22 C-USA SWIMMING AND DIVING SUPERLATIVE AWARDS
Swimmer of the Year: Christie Chue, FIU
Freshman Swimmer of the Year: Arielle Hayon, Rice
Dive of the Year: Maha Gouda, FIU
Freshman Diver of the Year: Kailee Payne, Marshall
Newcomer of the Year: Mia Zahab, FIU
 
SWIMMER OF THE YEAR
CHRISTIE CHUE | FIU | FR. | SINGAPORE
Christie Chue earned an NCAA All-American Honorable Mention nod this season after advancing to the 200 breaststroke finals at the NCAA Championships, becoming only the second-ever FIU swimmer to reach the finals at NCAAs. Chue also swam at the NCAA Championships in both the 100 Breast and the 200 IM. Throughout the season, Chue won two C-USA Swimmer of the Week awards and set FIU program records in both the 100 breaststroke and 200 breaststroke. Chue went on to win six gold medals at the C-USA Championships and garnered C-USA Swimmer of the Meet for her excellent performance. Chue won gold in three individual events -- the 100 breast (1:00.28), 200 breast (2:11.14) and 200 IM (1:58.42). She added on three more golds at the C-USA Championships as a member of the Panther relay squads in the 400 medley, 200 free, 400 free and 800 free relays. 
 
FRESHMAN SWIMMER OF THE YEAR
ARIELLE HAYON | RICE | FR. | AGORA HILLS, CALIF.
Rice freshman Arielle Hayon broke multiple school and conference records in her freshman campaign with the Owls. A specialist in the butterfly discipline, Hayon won three 100 fly competitions during regular season dual meets. At the C-USA Championships, the freshman won gold medals in two events. In the 200 fly, the California native set a Rice program record on the way to her spot on the top of the podium with her 1:57.13 time. She set a C-USA meet record and school record in the 100 fly with her 51.82 performance. Hayon also earned a silver medal as a part of the Rice 400 medley relay squad at the C-USA Championships. She swam at the NCAA Championships in both the 100 fly and 100 fly events. 
 
DIVER OF THE YEAR
MAHA GOUDA | FIU | SR. |ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT
Maha Gouda enjoyed another sensational season with the FIU diving team in 2021-22, advancing to the NCAA Championships for the third straight season while qualifying for both the 1-meter and platform events. During meets in the regular season, the former Olympian garnered eight first-place finishes across the 1-meter, 3-meter and platform dive events. At the C-USA Championships, Gouda claimed gold medal in the platform diving competition with a score of 254.20 and silver medals in the 1-meter (329.75) and 3-meter (358.65) dives. The FIU senior earned C-USA Diver of the Meet for the third time in her career. Gouda also received four Conference USA Diver of the Week awards through the 2021-22 campaign.
 
FRESHMAN DIVER OF THE YEAR
KAILEE PAYNE | MARSHALL | FR. | ITHACA, N.Y.
Marshall freshman Kailee Payne strung together 11 top-five finishes in the 1 and 3-meter events during her first-year campaign with the Herd. The New York native set the school record in the 1-meter dive this season with a 280.70 score. At the C-USA Championship, Payne notched lifetime best performances in the 1-meter, 3-meter and platform diving events. At the Championship, she was the only freshman to compete in the finals of the 1-meter (4th place overall) and 3-meter (6th place overall). Her 1-meter score was enough to qualify for NCAA Zones.
 
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
MIA ZAHAB | FIU | JR. | OTTAWA, CANADA
Mia Zahab claimed a gold medal in the 400 individual medley at the C-USA Championships and a bronze medal in the 200 Fly. The Washington State transfer continuously improved throughout the season to swim her fastest times all year at the C-USA Championships in both the 400 IM and 200 Fly. Both of the junior's times at the C-USA Championships were NCAA B standard times. During the regular season, Zahab notched a personal best time of 4:55.72 in the 500 freestyle at the Purdue Invite, which gave her a first-place finish.

 
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