The Simmons Swimming and Diving team is poised to enter its first season under Head Coach Mindy Williams. Williams joined the Sharks in July 2008 following the retirement of longtime coach Doug Backlund, who headed the program for 11 years.
Williams comes to Simmons from Regis College where she was the Head Swim Coach of the women's team for four years, and the men's for two. She is very excited to take the helm of the Simmons squad, and eager for the Sharks to begin the season.
Last season, the Sharks finished the dual meet season with a 7-2-1 record, and took home their fourth straight Great Northeast Athletic Conference crown. Swimming and Diving then advanced their postseason to the NEISDA Championship, where they finished in tenth place. In addition to taking the GNAC Championship team title, Sharks swimmer Keri-Ann Arsenault (Chester, NH) was named GNAC Swimmer of the Year for the 2007-08 season.
The Sharks will be looking to deliver another dominant season against GNAC competition, as well as strengthen their out-of-conference performances against programs such as Babson, where the last meeting ended in a tie, and UMass-Dartmouth, who edged the Sharks by just 16 points at New Englands last season.
Other top finishers for 2007-08 include Waterbury, CT native Brittany Torelli (Breast & Free), who earned a 6th place finish in the 200 Breaststroke and 10th place finish in the 100 Breaststroke at New England's. Torelli will continue to lead the Sharks Breaststroke contingent for 2008.
One of the most versatile simmers on the team, Erica Boswell (IM & Backstroke, Salem, MA) placed 8th in the 200 IM at New Englands during the 2007-08 season and was a part of 9th place finish in the 200 Freestyle Relay along with teammates Torelli and Catherine Heller (Longmount, Colo.) at the same meet.
Caitlin Urciuoli (Wethersfield, CT) played a strong roll on the team last season as the Sharks' top butterflier. She placed 10th in the 200 Fly at New Englands, and will continue in that roll this season.
Veteran diver Heather O'Connell (Longmeadow, Mass.) returns to lead the diving team this season. She finished in the top 10 last season at New Englands on 3-meter, and her lists are looking solid so far.
Along with end of the season recognition from the GNAC, Arsenault (Distance & IM) was a triple winner at the GNAC Championships and consistently placed top-10 at the New England Championships in February (8th in the 500, 6th in the 1000 Free, 4th in the 400 IM). Arsenault will lead the team in the distance and IM events this season, and Coach Williams is looking for her to play a huge roll in the team's success at the NEISDA championships, where only the top 18 places score points.
The Sharks graduated three talented seniors in spring 2008: Carolyn Farmer, Whitney Airgood and Elizabeth Chan. This leaves a gap in the breaststroke and sprint freestyle events, but Coach Williams isn't fazed. "This is nothing our freshmen aren't willing to take on. This year's roster is slightly smaller than in years past, but the diving team has flourished this fall and should be a huge factor in scoring points for the team."
First-year IM-specialist, Stephanie Bitzas (Westfield, Mass.) will help add depth to the team in a variety of events, including backstroke and breaststroke. Rookie divers, Amanda Dirksmeier (Marshfield, Mass.) and Alyssa Rizzo (Attleboro, Mass.) have made tremendous progress during the first few weeks of the season and will be a force on the boards this winter. Sophomore sprinter Chennelle Jackson (Dorchester, Mass.) joins the Sharks this season to round out some potential record-breaking relays.
Coach Williams likes the positive direction the team has taken in workouts so far. "They feed off each other's positive energy and push one another in practice. Every set is finished with a "nice job, team" from a captain or a teammate. It is refreshing to see them so excited about the season," said Williams. "The women have set aggressive goals for their team and themselves and I know they will deliver."
The Sharks will begin the hunt when they meet the Owls at Westfield State this Saturday, November 1 at 1:00pm.