DANBURY, Conn. – Simmons College's Laura List (Bedford, Mass.) was named the Eastern College Athletic Conference New England Women's Swimming Rookie of the Week for the week of February 13-19, it was announced by the league.
The first year took home five medals and helped the Sharks win a pair of relay events at the New England Intercollegiate Swimming & Diving Association Championship on the campus of University of Rhode Island in Kingston, R.I. from February 16-19. The Bedford High School graduate earned a silver and bronze medal, placing second in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 53.37 and third in the 50-yard freestyle with a mark of 24.84, respectively. The rookie also placed ninth in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 1:02.03. She helped Simmons as the leadoff leg to a spirited time of 3:33.10 to win the 400-yard freestyle by more than a second and shatter the school standard by almost four seconds. She also swam the anchor leg of the winning 200-yard freestyle relay, closing it out with a time of 1:38.82 and swam the opening backstroke leg of the 200-yard medley relay, contributing to a school-record time of 1:48.07, which was good for second place.
The Nursing major has been outstanding this season, being named the Great Northeast Athletic Conference Rookie of the Week for the week of January 16-22. List has turned in 20 top-three finishes in dual meets and final heats of championship meets this season, including 11 victories. She has dominated the 50-yard backstroke, winning all three races in dual meet competition, while placing fourth at the GNAC Championship in December. List also placed second in the 100-yard backstroke and 50-yard freestyle, while placing fourth in both the 100-yard freestyle at the GNAC Championship.
The Sharks are enjoying, perhaps, the greatest campaign in school history having finished the dual meet schedule with a perfect 12-0 mark for the first time in school annals, while winning their 13th straight GNAC Championship in December. The team also placed second at the NEISDA Championship for the highest finish in school history.
Simmons returns to competition when it sends a contingent to the Eastern College Athletic Conference Open Championship meet, including List, on March 3-5 at host United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md.