For the first time in program history, the Youngstown State women's swimming and diving team has a recipient of the prestigious Horizon League Swimming and Diving Women's Athlete of the Year Award.
Miriam Frass was given this honor to conclude a very memorable 2024-25 season that has already seen her rack up numerous accolades.
The Horizon League Swimming and Diving Men's and Women's Athletes of the Year are voted on by the league's head coaches.
Frass put on an incredible show at the 2025 Horizon League Swimming and Diving Championships in February, winning three conference titles and being named the Women's Swimmer of the Meet. This marked the first time in program history that a Penguins swimmer had received this honor.
She was a member of the 800-free relay team alongside Hailey Clark, Oliwia Kaniak, and Olivia Sweetman that captured the first YSU relay title in program history with a program-record time of 7:20.87. She then went on to win her second-consecutive 400 IM title, clocking a program-record time of 4:18.91, as well as the 1650 free title, where she swam a time of 16:40.80, which was another new program record. She became the first Penguin to ever win the 1650 free event at a Horizon League Championships meet.
Penguins' Head Coach Brad Smith reflected on the remarkable accomplishment for Frass:
"She entered the season with the same passion, enthusiasm, and love for the sport that she brought her freshman year. She was determined to end her collegiate season on the highest of notes, and every day of practice, she lived up to that and the other goals she set for herself. Committed and hard-working is an understatement for this young lady. She was able to rekindle her love for the sport, and it showed. She's inspiring, and her swims are inspiring. I'm incredibly proud to have coached her and gotten to know the wonderful person that she is".
In total, she won 16 events across 11 meets throughout the season, with an astounding 41 top-three finishes altogether. She claimed victory in the 500 free five times, 200 free four times, 1650 free and 100 free twice each, and she finished first in the 200 breaststroke and 200 butterfly once this season, with each victory being claimed at a dual vs. Denison.
Another remarkable performance on the season for Frass occurred at the 2024 CSCAA Open Water Championships at Florida International University, where she claimed a second-place finish out of 108 swimmers in the event, clocking a time of 1:06:40.41.
