Simmons Swimming & Diving captured the 2009 Great Northeast Athletic Conference Championship for the sixth year in a row, and earned an eighth place finish at the 2010 New England Intercollegiate Swimming and Diving Association Championships. The young team was consistent in dual meets, as Simmons swam to wins against opponents the Sharks defeated last season, and suffered closer losses to opponents who defeated them one year ago.

"Rookies made up the majority of our roster this year, which made it a fun and unpredictable season," said Head Coach Mindy Williams. Of the nine freshmen on the 2009-2010 squad, six of them qualified for New Englands (Liz Zamagni, Alyssa Musket, Anastasia Lyapina, Kaira King, Curry Girr, Molly Bohannon) and all of them made significant contributions to team points throughout the season.

Aside from the tremendous talent that the class of 2013 brought to the team, the new Sharks also brought excitement, energy and passion. "Their presence helped rejuvenate the team and get the upper classmen excited about swimming and diving again," said Williams.

The Sharks boasted several standout performers this season. Senior Brittany Torelli (Waterbury, Conn.) earned All-New England honors with a sixth-place finish in the 200 IM at New Englands. Torelli was also a member of the school-record setting 400 Free Relay, 200 Free Relay and 200 Medley Relay.

Freshman Alyssa Musket (Lincoln, R.I.) set the school record in the 50 Free during the first meet of the season, and again at New Englands. Musket was also a member of the record-setting 400 Free Relay, 200 Free Relay and 200 Medley Relay, and came within hundredths of the school record in both the 50 Fly and the 100 IM. Musket earned All-New England honors for a third place finish in both the 50 Free and the 100 IM, and was a two-time GNAC Champion in the 50 Free and 50 Back.  "She will undoubtedly be one of the most decorated and versatile sprinters in Simmons history," said Williams.

Freshman Kaira King (Las Vegas, Nev.) finished in seventh-place on 3-Meter at New Englands with a new School Record of 324.40 for 11 dives. Earlier in the season, King finished first on 1-Meter at the Regis Invitational, and captured first place at the GNAC Championships on 1-Meter. King set a school record and a pool record for 1-Meter (6 dives) during the course of the season.

Seniors Torelli, Caitlin Urciuoli (Wethersfield, Conn.) and Heather O'Connell (Longmeadow, Mass.) led Simmons as captains in 2009-10. "All three women put their teammates and their teammates' success in front of their own and showed incredible support for their fellow sharks throughout the season," said Williams. The captains' leadership extended beyond practice and into competition, as all three led in points during the season.

"Brittany will certainly leave a legacy with her name speckled across the record board. Caitlin scored huge points for the team this season, particularly in the distance freestyle events," said Williams. Urciuoli led the way for Simmons' distance swimmers, and will leave a void in that area when she graduates. Teammates Hannah McQuillan (Florence, Mass.) and Anne Karasek (Brookline, Mass.) will step up and show next year's rookies how to attack the distance events. " Heather O'Connell demonstrated a vast commitment to improving her diving, and stuck it out for four years, learning new and challenging dives right up until the end. She showed fearless leadership on the boards," said Williams.

Williams anticipates another successful season in 2010-11, but notes that it will only come after an offseason of hard work. "The team has reached the point of not just wanting to succeed, but wanting to do the work that it takes to succeed. I'm hoping that they will use the off-season wisely and come back in great shape so that we are able to get down to business immediately next fall."