Tennessee’s Jordan Crooks Named SEC Co-Male Swimmer of the Year

IRMINGHAM, Ala. – One of the most decorated Vols in Tennessee Athletics history, senior Jordan Crooks garnered SEC Co-Swimmer of the Year accolades to highlight UT swimming & diving on the yearly conference honors, the league announced Thursday morning.

The George Town, Cayman Islands, native enjoyed one of the best years ever by a Vol swimmer. On the international stage, Crooks was an Olympic finalist in Paris before defending his world title in the 50 freestyle at the Short Course World Championships, becoming the first swimmer ever to go sub-20 seconds in the event by posting a World Record mark of 19.90. During the collegiate season, he broke three NCAA records, won three national titles, brought home five SEC gold medals and garnered All-America status in seven events.

Crooks, who won the distinction previously in 2023, joins Jeremy Linn (1995, ’97, ’98) as the lone Vols in program history to win multiple SEC Swimmer of the Year awards. In total, Tennessee athletes have received the honor seven times.

At the NCAA Championships, he won the 50 free for the second time in his career and helped the Vols bring home the NCAA titles in the 200 and 400 free relays. He led off the 200 free relay with the fastest 50 free of his career, touching the wall in 17.82. He closed out the meet by breaking the NCAA record in the 100 free (39.83) and then posting the fastest 100 free relay split of all time (39.36) to anchor the NCAA record-breaking 400 free relay (2:42.30).

At the SEC Championships, Crooks became the first swimmer in SEC history to win four straight titles in the 50 free. He tied Florida’s Josh Liendo for first in the 100 free, marking his second title in that event during his career. Crooks also led the UT 200 free, 400 free and 200 medley relays to gold medal performances. The Vols shattered the NCAA record in the 200 free relay with a time of 1:12.80. They also broke the national record in the 400 free relay (2:42.41) before improving it at NCAAs.

Crooks leaves Rocky Top with an incredible resume and as the most decorated Vol swimmer of all time. The two-time SEC Swimmer of the Year won two short course world championships, four NCAA titles and 11 SEC gold medals. He boasts 27 SEC medals and 25 All-America honors for his career. He’s the school record holder in four different individual events and helped break all five UT relay records. In addition to his three NCAA records, he’s the second fastest 50-yard freestyler of all time behind only nine-time Olympic gold medalist Caeleb Dressel (17.63).

The league also released its All-SEC Teams as well as the All-Freshman Team. Between the Vols and Lady Vols, Tennessee boasted 11 first team honorees, eight second team recipients and five on the All-Freshman Team.

For the All-SEC Teams, the First Team consists of the winner of each event at the SEC Championships, and the Second Team is made up by the silver and bronze medal winners during the meet. The All-Freshman Teams consist of any redshirt or true freshman who finished either in the top eight or was the highest scoring freshman of each event at the SEC Championships, excluding relay events.