BOSTON – Defending Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) champion, Simmons swimming and diving seeks its 18^th crown competing in the GNAC championship beginning Friday evening. The championship meet is slated to run Friday, February 4 through Sunday, February 6.

The 2022 championship opens Friday evening with the 200-yard freestyle relay at the Boston Sports Institute in Wellesley, Massachusetts. The 3-meter diving portion will be held at Simmons University's Holmes Sports Center at 10 a.m. on Sunday morning. Saturday and Sunday will begin at 10:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m., respectively, with the finals set to commence at 4 p.m.

How To Follow
Video:  Live Stream | 3-meter Diving (Feb. 6) - Live Stream
2022 GNAC Championship Central: Psych Sheet | Schedule of Events
Twitter: @SimmonsSharks
Instagram: @SimmonsSharks | @simmonsswimanddive
2021-22 Top Performances

What To Know

• Simmons was tabbed second in the 2022 GNAC Pre-Championship Coaches Poll, receiving 89 total votes, including two first-place votes.
• First year Head Coach Michael Prout Jr. is looking to continue Simmons's winning history in his first season in charge.
• The Sharks finished their dual-meet season recording wins against Westfield State University and University of New England.
• The team finished fourth at the Seven Sisters Invitational meet recording 514.5 points.  First year Hailey Stuck posted two personal bests in the 50- and 100-yard free, while junior Eva Piernas finished first in the 1,650-yard freestyle.
• Junior Meg Driscoll registered a personal-best in the 200 IM with a time of 2:25.08.
• Earlier in the season against Merrimack, the 400-yard medley relay of Camelia Hannah, Meg Driscoll, Ella Harmon, and Lauren Howard posted a season best time of 4:27.12.
• The 400-yard freestyle relay team of Caroline Mazariegos, Eva Piernas, Emma Serth and Lauren Howard also clocked a season-best time at MIT, touching the wall in 3:50.88. Simmons 200-yard medley relay team (Hannah, Driscoll, Harmon, Howard) registered a season top time of 1:55.23 in the evening finals.
• Junior Meg Driscoll registered a personal best time in 200 IM with a time of 2:25.08.

Winning Tradition

• Simmons has won the last 15 consecutive GNAC championships, and 17 titles overall, securing its first championship in 2001.
• The Sharks hold multiple GNAC all-time championship meet records, which includes the 200-freestyle relay mark which they broke in 2020 with a time of 1:39.29.
• Five swimmers from Simmons have been named the GNAC Swimmer of the Year, with former Simmons All-American Aine Scholand being the last in 2020. She was a three-time recipient of the honor.
• Only three other schools hold championship meet records with Simmons collecting 22 out of 27 records. 

2022 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Coaches Poll

1. Roger Williams (8) - 98
2. Simmons (2) - 89
3. University of New England - 72
4. Regis - 67
5. Norwich - 66
6. Colby-Sawyer - 52
7. University of St. Joseph (Conn.) - 41
8. Saint Joseph's (Maine) - 35
9. Albertus Magnus - 18 
10. Elms - 12

At the Helm
Michael Prout Jr. is entering his first season as the Simmons Head Swimming and Diving Coach.  Prout comes to Simmons from his previous position of Head Swim Coach and Program Coordinator at Adaptive Sports New England.  With an extensive background in competing, winning, gold and bronze at the Paralympics in Athens at the age of 18, Prout is ready to guide Simmons swimming and diving.