April 6, 2012

COLUMBIA, Mo. - University of Missouri senior swimmer Shara Stafford was named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, the conference announced on Friday. Stafford is just the second Mizzou student-athlete to earn a Big 12 postseason swimming and diving award.

Stafford, a transfer from Florida, had a memorable year in her only season in black and gold. The Topeka, Kan., native earned three first team All-America honors at the 2012 NCAA Championships, where she finished fifth in the 50 free, sixth in the 100 free and was a part of Mizzou's seventh-place 200 free relay team. She also claimed 100 and 200 free titles at 2012 Big 12 Swimming and Diving Championships.

Stafford concludes her Mizzou career has the all-time record holder in five individual events: 50 free (21.79), 100 free (47.76), 200 free (1:43.62), 100 fly (52.44) and the 200 IM (1:56.30).

She joins diver Loren Figueroa, who claimed Big 12 Diver of the Year honors in 2011, as the only Tiger student-athletes to earn a Big 12 postseason swimming and diving award.