Buckeyes Sweep Big Ten Freshman of the Year Awards
4/3/2025 10:03:00 PM | Women's Swim & Dive
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State swimmers Matt Klinge and Mila Nikanorov have both earned Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors, announced by the conference on Thursday.
Klinge was the Big Ten champion in the 50 free with a time of 18.78, which is a program record. The previous record of 18.93 was set by Olympian Hunter Armstrong in 2022. Klinge placed eighth in the A final of the 100 fly with a time of 46.05. He helped the Buckeyes to bronze in the 200 free relay and the 200 medley relay.
At the NCAA Championships, Klinge earned Honorable Mention All-American honors in the 50 free, the 200 medley relay and the 200 free relay. Klinge is the fourth Buckeye in program history to earn men's Freshman of the Year honors; the most recent honoree was Alex Quach in 2022.
Nikanorov was the silver medalist in the 1650 free at the Big Ten Championships with a time of 15:50.54 and she placed fourth in the 500 free with a time of 4:37.43. She helped the Buckeyes 800 free relay team to a silver medal with a program-record time of 6:54.53.
Nikanorov earned First Team All-American Honors in both the 500 free and the 1650 free at the NCAA Championships. She placed sixth in the 500 free, setting a program record time of 4:36.38. She placed sixth in the 1650 free with a time of 15:51.95. Nikanorov is the second Buckeye in program history to earn Freshman of the Year honors (Kristen Romano, 2018).
Klinge was the Big Ten champion in the 50 free with a time of 18.78, which is a program record. The previous record of 18.93 was set by Olympian Hunter Armstrong in 2022. Klinge placed eighth in the A final of the 100 fly with a time of 46.05. He helped the Buckeyes to bronze in the 200 free relay and the 200 medley relay.
At the NCAA Championships, Klinge earned Honorable Mention All-American honors in the 50 free, the 200 medley relay and the 200 free relay. Klinge is the fourth Buckeye in program history to earn men's Freshman of the Year honors; the most recent honoree was Alex Quach in 2022.
Nikanorov was the silver medalist in the 1650 free at the Big Ten Championships with a time of 15:50.54 and she placed fourth in the 500 free with a time of 4:37.43. She helped the Buckeyes 800 free relay team to a silver medal with a program-record time of 6:54.53.
Nikanorov earned First Team All-American Honors in both the 500 free and the 1650 free at the NCAA Championships. She placed sixth in the 500 free, setting a program record time of 4:36.38. She placed sixth in the 1650 free with a time of 15:51.95. Nikanorov is the second Buckeye in program history to earn Freshman of the Year honors (Kristen Romano, 2018).
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