Byars Named A-10 Student-Athlete of the Year
March 5, 2008
ST. LOUIS - Senior Brad Byars (Marion, Ill. / Marion) capped off a record-breaking swimming career at Saint Louis by being selected as the Atlantic 10 Conference's Men's Swimming and Diving Student-Athlete of the Year in voting conducted among the league's sports information directors. Sophomore Anna Larson (St. Charles, Mo. / Francis Howell) was named to the women's Academic All-Conference team for the first time in her career. Byars, a human resources management major, made the most of his final appearances at the conference championships. He tied his own school record (45.27) in the 100 freestyle en route to capturing gold in the event. The five-time Commissioner's Honor Roll selection also finished third in the 50 freestyle with a time of 20.92, which ranks second all-time at SLU. Additionally, Byars placed eighth in the 100-butterfly finals (51.61) after tying the second-fastest performance (51.02) in school history in the prelims. On the first day of the championships, the 2007 Academic All-Conference pick shattered the program standard in the 200 freestyle (1:41.44) as the leadoff leg of the Billikens' record-breaking 800-freestyle relay (6:52.66). Byars also anchored SLU's 400-medley relay (3:28.16), which posted the best performance in school history. Byars, who led the A-10 with four Performer of the Week honors this season, completes his collegiate career as one of the most successful swimmers in program history. He owns nine of the program's top 10 performances in the 100 free, seven of the top 10 50-free times, six of SLU's top 10 200-free efforts and five of the top 10 100-fly performances. Larson, who will compete at her second-straight NCAA Zone Meet next week, garnered a spot on the Academic All-Conference squad after finishing among the top four in both diving events at the A-10 Championships. She placed fourth on the one-meter board with an 11-dive effort of 423.10, good for fourth in SLU annals. The biology major also finished third on the three-meter board with an 11-dive score of 507.10, which ranks second all-time at Saint Louis.
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