College swimming: FGCU's Evita Leter named Suriname Sportswoman of Year

FGCU senior swimmer Evita Leter has been named Suriname's Swimming Sportswoman of the Year, the Association of Sports Journalists in Suriname (VSJS) announced earlier this week.

The announcement comes just over four months after Leter represented her native country in the 2016 Rio Olympics. Leter was not only tabbed the top female swimmer in her home country, but was also one of three finalists for the Surinamese Female Athlete of the Year award -- along with volleyball player and eventual award winner Sandrina Hunsel and track athlete Sunayna Wahi.

"It's a great honor to be named Suriname's Female Swimmer of the Year, and just to be considered for Female Athlete of the Year is definitely an added bonus," Leter said. "I'd like to give a shoutout to my family, coaches and this amazing team for the continuous support, because none of this would be possible without them. This is the perfect ending to an amazing year, and I will definitely make sure to celebrate with my family when I get home for Christmas."

This past summer, Leter qualified for the Olympics as a Universality Place -- meaning she was individually selected by the Surname Olympic Committee to represent her country -- and competed in the 100-meter breaststroke. She joined former teammate and Barbados native Lani Cabrera in Rio and became the fifth member of the FGCU swimming and diving program and sixth FGCU student-athlete to ever qualify for the Olympic Games.

"We are very excited and happy for Evita,"  FGCU coach Dave Rollins said. "She is an extremely hard worker and great teammate, but even more importantly, she is an incredible young woman. For her to not only be named the Female Swimmer of the Year, but also come so close to being named the National Female Athlete of the Year shows how much respect her countrymen have for her. We are very proud of Evita and everything she has accomplished both in and out of the pool."