NEWS | Complete SAC release
 
Rock Hill, S.C.----Wingate University freshman Fernando Dehaudt (Menen, Belgium) is the 2025 South Atlantic Conference Men's Swimmer of the Year, officials announce Thursday. Dehaudt is the second Bulldog to receive this honor. Marcel Snitko won the inaugural award in 2023. The SAC added swimming to its sports ledger prior to the 2022-23 season.
 
Dehaudt won two first team All-American awards at the NCAA championship meet in Indianapolis earlier this month. He finished second in the 500 Freestyle with his time of 4:20.83. His NCAA 500 Free mark is a new SAC and Wingate standard. Dehaudt finished fourth in the 1650 Freestyle, thanks to his time of 15:17.76.
 
The 2025 South Atlantic Conference Freshman Swimmer of the Meet, Dehaudt compiled 108 points as the Bulldogs won their third consecutive SAC championship. He set SAC meet records in three Freestyle events: the 500 (4:23.45), the 1000 (9:03.76) and the 1650 (15:23.45). Dehaudt was named SAC Swimmer of the Week twice during his freshman campaign.
 
What They Are Saying
Wingate head men's swimming coach Kevin Hennessy
 
"We are very excited for Fernando…having a freshman year like he did is not something that happens very often. Fernando came in ready to work, ready to improve and ready to get better right from day one. He's somebody who once he adjusted to things and living in another country, really started to takeoff. Fernando got more and more comfortable as the year progressed. He went to nationals on the biggest stage of our sport and truly stepped up in a big way. Again, we are very excited to see Fernando, as well as Natalia Dwojak, receive these amazing recognitions." 
 
Fernando Dehaudt quick facts, 2025 edition
- AA 500 Free, 1650 Free
- His NCAA 500 Free time of 4:20.83 is a new WU standard
- HMAA 1000 Free
- Broke SAC meet records in 500, 1000 and 1650 Free
- Record times: 500 (4:23.45), 1000 (9:03.76) and 1650 (15:23.45)
- SAC Freshman Swimmer of the Meet
- SAC champion in 1000 and 1650 Free
- All-SAC in three events: 500, 1000 and 1650 Free
- Wingate won the SAC title for the third year in a row
 
Wingate University
 
Wingate University is a lab of difference-making that serves more than 3,400 students in North Carolina and offers 60 degree pathways, including 37 undergraduate majors, 10 pre-professional tracks and five dual-degree programs. Graduate students choose from seven master's and five doctoral programs. The University is home to the Cannon College of Arts and Sciences, the Levine College of Health Sciences, the Byrum School of Business, the Thayer School of Education and the School of Sport Sciences.
 
Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a leader in healthcare education where nearly one in five undergraduate students is preparing to be a pharmacist, physician assistant, physical therapist, occupational therapist or nurse. Student-athletes on Wingate's 29 teams compete in NCAA Division II and have brought home the SAC Echols Athletic Excellence Award the past 16 times it has been awarded. The University's motto is "Faith, Knowledge, Service." View current news and videos at www.wingate.edu.
 
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