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In a matchup perhaps as highly anticipated as many they’ve had in the pool, Ryan Lochte out-touched Michael Phelps and Aaron Piersol to win Male swimmer of the year at the 2009 USA Swimming Foundation Golden Goggle Awards. Phelps had won the award the two previous years.

Lochte had an impressive showing at the 2009 World Championships in Rome, where he finished with 4 golds and a bronze. In the midst of his medal haul, Lochte also set two World Records in the 400m IM and as a part of the 800m freestyle relay.

Ever the humble competitor, Lochte made sure to recognize his fellow swimmers.

"Aaron Peirsol and Michael Phelps, you guys have pushed me to limits I didn't even know, and I wouldn't be here without you,” Lochte said in his thank you speech.

Rebecca Soni was the named the female Athlete of the Year after winning the gold in the 100m breaststroke and silver in the 50m breaststroke in Rome Soni also excelled on the college scene as a USC Senior, where she was the NCAA champion in the 100y and 200y breaststrokes.

Lochte’s penultimate title for swimmer of the year was his second award on the night, as he, along with Phelps, Matt Grevers, and Nathan Adrian won the commendation for relay of the year as a result of winning the 400m free relay in Rome. The group won the relay in somewhat of an upset over runner-ups Russia and bronze-medalist favorites France.

Phelps, despite losing out to Lochte for the big title, also picked up a second award for Male Race of the year. At the Rome World Championships, Phelps broke the World Record and became the first man to go under 50 seconds in the 100m fly. The race had added drama after a heated exchange through the media between Phelps and archrival Milorad Cavic.

Female Race of the Year honors went to Ariana Kukors, who broke the 200m IM World Record in Rome to claim her first international title.

Dana Vollmer won the Perseverance Award for rebounding after a tough 2008 season. Vollmer, who was a 2004 Olympian, missed the 2008 Olympic squad. In an impressive 2009 bounce-back season, among her accomplishments were an NCAA team title at California-Berkeley, and 2 medals at the 2009 World Championships.

The Breakout Swimmer of the Year was Tyler Clary, who came from relative obscurity on the international scene to win the silver medal in the 400m IM and place 5th in the 200m butterfly.

Eddie Reese, who is the head coach at the University of Texas and coaches the Longhorn Aquatics club program along with his brother Randy, was named the Coach of the year. Reese is the coach of 6 of last year’s World Championships participants, including Aaron Piersol, Eric Shanteau, Dave Walters, Ricky Berens, Garret Weber-Gale, and Jackson Wilcox.

In one of the more emotional presentations of the night, the Disability Coach of the Year award was posthumously awarded to, and renamed after, Paralympic coach Jimi Flowers. Flowers, who led the American Paralympic swimming squad into Beijing, tragically died in a climbing accident in Aspen, Colorado on July 10th. His award was accepted by his wife, Sue.

As an indication of the increasing mainstream visibility of the sport of swimming, the gala show was attended by major stars from both outside and within the swimming community. Notable non-swimmers included actor Greg Kinnear (Baby Mama, As Good As It Gets), actor Owen Wilson (Wedding Crashers, Night at the Museum), Runner Allyson Felix (2008 Olympic Gold Medalist), former Major League Baseball manager Tommy Lasorda (Hall-of-Famer, 2-time NL Manager of the Year), and Baywatch Alum Brooke Burns.

The event was held on November 23rd in Los Angeles and was hosted by Emmy-nominated sportscaster Dan Hicks.

Click here to see the full list of award winners.