Freeman Class of 2025 Announced
The College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) has selected six coaches to receive the Jean Freeman Scholarship. The scholarships are given annually to six coaches whose exceptional contributions have brought recognition to their college or university, and whose leadership, integrity, honesty, competitive attitude and personal graciousness epitomize those characteristics reflected by Jean Freeman, longtime women's swimming coach at the University of Minnesota.
This year's award winners are Molly Hebzynski of Oakland University, Brody Lewis from the University of Utah, Daniel Sivak from the University of Illinois at Chicago, Garrett Shuldes from Wheaton (MA) College, Aubrey Syron of Ithaca College and Jay Venit from Loyola University (MD).
The scholarship will cover the registration and accommodations for each of the six selected assistant coaches to attend the CSCAA Annual Meetings and Awards Banquet, as well as the CSCAA Coach Academy.
Molly Hebzynski, Oakland University
Molly is concluding her second season at Oakland University after a successful first year under head coach Mitch Alters. The Golden Grizzlies continued their dynasty at the Horizon League Championship having captured every title since 2014. Before joining Oakland, Hebzynski was hired as an assistant coach in June 2023 following a two-year tenure at the University of Northern Colorado.
Brody Lewis, University of Utah
A 2020 graduate of the University of Utah, Lewis returned to his alma mater for the start of the 2022-23 season and is now in his third year on Jonas Persson's staff. Prior to rejoining Utah, he spent one season as the assistant swimming and diving coach for the women's program at the University of Northern Colorado. Additionally, Brody is a voter for both the Men’s and Women’s CSCAA Dual Meet polls.
Daniel Sivak, University of Illinois at Chicago
Sivak is another Freeman Award winner coaching at his alma mater. A 2020 graduate of UIC, he returned to the pool deck at the start of the 2022 season. Under his guidance, team members set multiple records, with two individual champions securing titles in three events, contributing to a fourth-place finish in the Men's team standings at the 2025 Missouri Valley Conference Championship Meet. The UIC Women's team also broke several records and had two individual champions, finishing fifth in the team standings.
Garrett Shuldes, Wheaton (MA) College
Shuldes helped lead the Lyons Women to a third place finish at the NEWMAC Championship in his first year with the team. The Minnesota Native was a four-year standout for Carthage College, where he largely aided in extending the college's conference title streak to five years.
Aubrey Syron, Ithaca College
Syron returned to the Ithaca College men's and women's swimming & diving program for a second season as a graduate assistant at the start of 2024-25. During Syron’s two years with the program, the Bomber women claimed the Liberty League Championship both seasons, while the men finished as runners-up.
Jay Venit, Loyola University (MD)
Venit rounds out the group of coaches helping lead their alma mater having started with the Greyhounds following his graduation in 2020. In the 2024-25 season, the Loyola men matched their program-best third-place finish at the Patriot League Championships, while the women achieved their highest-ever finish, placing fourth.