Soraghan Named GNAC Swimming & Diving Rookie of the Week Again

WINTHROP, Mass. ? Simmons College?s Maria Soraghan (East Hampstead, N.H.) was named the Great Northeast Athletic Conference Women?s Swimming & Diving Rookie of the Week for the week of October 23-29, it was announced by the league today. 

WINTHROP, Mass. ? Simmons College?s Maria Soraghan (East Hampstead, N.H.) was named the Great Northeast Athletic Conference Women?s Swimming & Diving Rookie of the Week for the week of November 6-12, it was announced today by the league. Soraghan also earned the award for the week of October 23-29. 

WINTHROP, Mass. – Simmons College's Maria Soraghan (East Hampstead, N.H.) was named the Great Northeast Athletic Conference Women's Swimming & Diving Rookie of the Week for the week of November 6-12, it was announced today by the league. Soraghan also earned the award for the week of October 23-29. 

The first year scored 22 points with a pair of first-place finishes and a second-place effort, while helping the Sharks to a win in the 400-yard freestyle relay in the tram's 167-132 victory over Wellesley College on November 11. 

Soraghan touched the wall first in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1:59.75 for Simmons, before winning the 50-yard freestyle by one tenth of a second on a time of 25.96 in her first 50-freestyle race of the season. The rookie followed that showing with another event debut, placing second in her first 200-yard backstroke race at the collegiate level with a time of 2:15.13 to finish less than three-tenths of a second behind the winner. The Pinkerton Academy product capped the day by swimming the lead leg of the team's winning 400-yard freestyle relay, helping the Sharks post a time of 3:44.91. 

An International Relations major, Soraghan has finished either first or second in seven of nine races, including four winning efforts. She has shown great versatility winning at distances of 50, 200 and 1000-yard in the freestyle and has been a mainstay in the team's relays as part of the 200-yard medley, 200-yard freestyle, 400-yard medley and 400-yard freestyle units, while helping Simmons win four of six relays. 

Simmons is currently 4-2 on the season and returns to the pool on Saturday, November 18 when it hosts University of New England at 1:00 p.m.