BOSTON, Mass. – Simmons College women's swimmer Laura Simpson (Perkiomenville, Pa.) was named the Corvias Eastern College Athletic Conference and Great Northeast Athletic Conference Women's Swimming & Diving Rookie of the Week for the week of January 25-31, it was announced by each league.
The Sharks have earned the GNAC award in all nine of the reporting periods. Simpson has earned the honor four times, including the weeks of October 26 to November 1, November 2-8 and November 9-15. She has also been named the ECAC's top rookie twice, including for the week of November 30 to December 6.
Classmate Kerry Fleming (Northampton, Mass.)has captured the GNAC distinction four times as well, while rookie Charlotte Rivard (Norwood, Mass.) was selected for the week of January 4-10 by the GNAC.
Simpson tallied 17 points, fueled by a first-place effort and a pair of second-place showings in a dual meet at Mount Holyoke College on January 30. The first year also swam the lead leg of the team's 200-yard freestyle relay that placed second in the final event of the afternoon. Simpson won the 100-yard freestyle relay in a personal-record time of 56.06. She clocked in at 11:14.17 to place second in the 1000-yard freestyle, before finishing second in the 500-yard freestyle with a mark of 5:33.28.
A graduate of Boyertown High School, Simpson has absolutely dominated the freestyle events from 200 to 1650 yards in her rookie season, winning 15 of 19 races that she's entered, including all five 200-yard races in dual meet competition and all three 1650-yard events. Simpson racked up a meet-high 76 points, while capturing titles in the 200, 500 and 1650-yard freestyle events at the GNAC Championship in December. She shattered the GNAC and school record in the 1650 with a time of 17:58.42 and also surged past the school and conference mark in the 500 with a clip of 5:11.84. During her record-breaking 1650 circuit, she turned in a 1000-yard split of 10:48.53 to set a new school standard as well. She first opened eyes during her rookie campaign when she placed second in the 500-yard freestyle at the New England Invitational on November 7. Overall, she's turned in 26 top-three finishes, including 18 first place showings.
The Sharks are enjoying one of the best seasons in program history, owning a 10-2 record in dual meets this year to match a school-record, while winning its 12th straight Great Northeast Athletic Conference Championship in December. Simmons has also seen four individual school records fall this season. The Sharks will be in action again on Friday, February 12 when they compete at the New England Intercollegiate Swimming & Diving Association Championship.