Former Sea Lion and St. Johns Redwings swimmer Andrew Nelson was killed instantly by an IED in Baghdad Iraq on December 25, 2006.  Each year the Andrew Nelson Award is presented to a Sea Lions swimmer in his honor.  The Andrew Nelson Award has nothing to do with an individuals swimming capabilities, rather it goes to the swimmer who is a leader, a person who cheers on all their teammates, someone the others look up to.  The award winner does everything they are supposed to do in practice, not sitting out sets.  In other words, someone who is a hard worker and does everything their coach asks of them.