STANDISH, ME – The Saint Joseph's College men's swimming team awards have been released.

Brian Grasser '12 (Groton, Conn.) has been selected as the 2011 Most Improved award recipient after participating in 11 individual events and 10 relay competitions as a junior. Despite battling through injuries, the team co-captain posted a career-best 2:24.77 effort in the 200-Free against Gordon College on February 5th and swam legs for a pair of top-finishing relay teams last winter.

Thomas Smith '14 (New Hartford, Conn.) has garnered the team's Sportsmanship and Monk Award honors after competing in 21individual competitions with three team-record times as a freshman. Smith also swam legs in all 12 of the Monks' relay events, including four team-record efforts, last winter.

The Monk Award is given annually to the individual who best represents what it is to be a "Monks Swimmer."

The men's swimming Most Valuable Player honor goes to Kevin Towne '12 (Shrewsbury, Mass.) for the third consecutive year. The team co-captain participated in 26 individual events with a team-best 15 top finishes and broke four team records as a junior. He also swam legs in 11 relay competitions, including the 200-Medley, 200-Free, 400-Free and 800-Free events in which the Monks set new team records last season.

Towne also notched the Monks' best-ever individual finish in the NEISDA Championship – an eighth place effort in the 200-Back (2:11.40) – last February. Overall, Towne has participated in 63 individual events with 26 top finishes – both program highs - and eight runner-up efforts in three collegiate campaigns.