Is there a better time to be a swimmer?
For Bonnie Brandon, probably not
The recently graduated senior from Cherry Creek in Greenwood Village capped a stellar schoolgirl career in February, when she won four championships. It gave her 14 first-place medals in a possible 16 races. Later in the summer, she’ll head to Arizona, a top power collegiately.
But first, she’ll soon head to Omaha for her second go-round in the Olympic Trials.
An all-around swimmer, Brandon said she “hopes to place first or second, why not try it?”
Brandon, along with Valor Christian golfer Wyndham Clark, were named male and female student-athletes of the year on Friday at the 37th annual Denver Athletic Club sports banquet. Significant contributions to programs were made in the winners’ names.
“Thank you so much, I’m so honored,” Brandon said.
A mainstay of the Bruins’ annual powerhouse program in swimming and diving, Brandon was a freestyler as well as accomplished on the club level.
Her grade-point average surpassed 4.0.
Clark, who was a two-time Class 4A champion and runner-up twice, nearly lapped the field the past fall at Pelican Lakes G.C. in Windsor.
He opened by firing a first-round 8-under-par 64, then duplicated it in the second round for a total of 16-under.
A perfectionist, Clark carried better than a B average academically and will play at Oklahoma State.
Brandon was chosen from a finalist field that included Nicole Dalton, Chaparral; Lucy Dikeou, Kent Denver; Rainey Gaffin, Legacy; and Elle Madsen, Wheat Ridge.
Clark was chosen from other finalists Matt Florence, Kent Denver; Sean Rubalcaba, Grand Junction; Cassius Simpson, Lakewood; and Ty Williams, Telluride .
The Broncos’ Von Miller, the AP defensive rookie rookie of the year, was named The DAC’s professional athlete of the year and Dave Logan was honored for career achievement. He was a three-sport star at Wheat Ridge and two-sporter at Colorado and drafted by three pro sports leagues .
Other DAC awards: Dikeou, youth female of the year; Bailey Tills, Kent Denver, youth male of the year; Laura Stuto, female athlete of the year; Eric Eiteljorg, male of the year; Catherine Coucoules, master female of the year; and Ralph Graham, master male of the year.
Neil H. Devlin: 303-954-1714 or ndevlin@denverpost.com
