WESTWOOD, Mass. – Simmons College's Ronnie Bennett (Pottstown, Pa.) and Samantha Kelsey (Salt Lake City, Utah) were both named to the New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference All-Conference Rowing Team, it was announced by the league. 

Bennett earns All-Conference honors for the third time after being named to the Second Team as a first year and was chosen as a First Team selection during her sophomore campaign. The senior has rowed primarily from the sixth seat and registered the third-fastest two-thousand meter erg time on the team. A graduate of Owen J. Roberts High School, Bennett helped the Sharks First Varsity Eight to a fourth-place finish at the NEWMAC Championship with a time of 7:38.045 to hold off United States Coast Guard Academy on April 28 on Lake Quinsigamond. Bennett was also named to the All-Seven Sisters Rowing Team after helping Simmons to a third-place finish on October 29. In addition, Bennett was chosen for the NEWMAC All-Academic Team for the third straight season in 2018. 

"Ronnie has been a huge contributor to the team for the last four years," said Assistant Coach Caitlin Mance. "As one of our more experienced recruits, she led the team from the get-go both in terms of her on the water performance and her capabilities on the erg and in the weight room. She is an extremely hard worker and has done a remarkable job of balancing her school and rowing life as evidence by her induction into the Nursing Honor Society, Sigma Theta Tau, and has one of the highest GPAs on the team. Ronnie definitely leads by example and will missed next year!" 

Kelsey was named to the Second Team in her first year of collegiate competition. The rookie turned in the fastest erg time on the team this year and competed primarily from the seventh seat in the Sharks' First Varsity Eight shell. The rookie joined Bennett as one of the integral parts to establish the power and rhythm for the boat. The West High School product rowed for Simmons First Varsity Eight at the NEWMAC Championship as well as the Seven Sisters Championship race in addition to helping the Sharks record a third-place effort at the Donahue Cup with a mark of 7:12.92 on April 14 on Lake Quinsigamond. 

"Sam has proven to be a real leader on the team, even as a first year," said Mance. "She is the first one to jump into workouts and is extremely positive and excited about the sport and team. She has the fastest erg score on the team and seems to be getting faster every day. We look forward to seeing what she can do over the next three years." 

Simmons is in action again on Friday, May 11 when it competes at the National Invitational Rowing Championship on Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester, Mass.