WORCESTER, Mass. - Simmons College women's crew team members Ronnie Bennett (Pottstown, Pa.) and Chelsea Foster (Avon, Conn.) were both named to the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference Women's Rowing All-Conference First Team, while Clarice Johnson (Norwell, Mass.) earned Second Team honors, it was announced this morning following the NEWMAC Championship.

Foster earns All-Conference accolades for the third straight year, including her second appearance on the First Team after being named in 2014 as well. Bennett joined Foster on the Second Team last year and earns All-Conference status for the second time in as many years. Johnson earns a spot on this year's Second Team to earn All-Conference accolades for the first time.

Foster has powered the Sharks' One Varsity Eight from the stroke seat all season. Bennett pulled from the bow seat in the fall for the 1V8 and showed her versatility by moving to the sixth seat for the spring. Johnson has shown poise as the coxswain for the Second Varsity Eight for the entire campaign.

Foster and Bennett helped the Simmons 1V8 earn NEWMAC Boat of the Week honors for three consecutive weeks from March 28 to April 11 and a national ranking in the USRowing/Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association Division III Collegiate Rowing Poll presented by Pocock Racing Shells. The Sharks have been ranked as high as 11th and are currently 13th in the nation. Foster and Bennett finished second on October 4 in the Club Double at the 36th Annual Textile River Regatta and also helped the 1V8 to a 19th place showing at the 51st Annual Head of the Charles Regatta on October 18. The pair was also a part of the 1V8's third-place effort at the Donahue Cup on April 9 and returned the next day to help power the shell to a first-place showing at the Clark Invitational. Foster and Bennett were key factors in the crew's third place team finish at the NEWMAC Championship on April 23 as well.

Johnson directed the Second Varsity Eight to a second-place finish at the Seven Sisters Championship on November 1 to help Simmons crew to an overall third-place effort. The coxswain set the pace for the 2V8 that placed third at the Donahue Cup and was the catalyst for the winning effort at the Clark Invitation for the Second Varsity Eight race. Firmly established as the shell's cox, Johnson also directed the 2V8 to third place at the NEWMAC Championship.

The Sharks will return to Lake Quinsigamond on Saturday, April 30 to compete in the New England Championship.