LCDR Dan Cnossen Above & Beyond Award

Dan Cnossen (SEAL), US Navy

The Above and Beyond award is given to those who exemplify the spirit of the the awards namesake, Dan Cnossen, the beneficiary of the inaugural swim.  The recipient will have show that spirit either physically, emotionally and/or mentally to go above and beyond while supporting the Tampa Bay Frogman Swim and the Naval Special Warfare community.

When Dan Cnossen, a Kansas native, arrived at the US Naval Academy, he had never seen an ocean and did not know how to swim.  By the time he left in 2002 he was an accomplished triathlete.  “Life is all about extremes” he always told his friends.  On September 7, 2009, while leading his SEALs in combat in Afghanistan, LT Cnossen stepped on a land mine.  Less than four months after losing both legs, he competed in his first half marathon, finishing fourth in the wheel chair division, in freezing rain and snow.  Now a lieutenant commander, Cnossen has since gone on to become a successful Paralympic athlete competing in cross country skiing and biathlon.

Recipients

2024 – Courtney Blum

2023 – Tom & Ginny Feeks

2022 – Allison LaRochelle

2021 – Steve Swift

2020 – Stephen Corcoran

2019 – Tim Rice

2018 – Mike Wilson

2017 – Bill Bracken

2016 – Eric Smith

2015 – COL Patty Collins

2014 -The Skonicki Family

2013 – Mark Dobersch

2012 – CDR Dan O’Shea

2011 – Chris Quilty