Complete ResultsSpringfield, Mass. -- January 15, 2012 -- The Springfield College women's swimming and diving team split in a double-dual meet this past Sunday with the Coast Guard Academy and MIT at the Art Linkletter Natatorium. The Pride defeated Coast Guard, 181-115, while falling to MIT, 196-104.
Sophomore Kellie Pennington (Monson, Mass.) won a pair of events, copping the 50-yard free with a time of 24.27 and the 100-yard free in 53.41. She also finished second in the 100-yard fly in 1:01.55.
Sophomore Jennifer Thompson (Cheshire, Conn.) also captured two firsts -- in 1-meter diving with a score of 258.05 points, and in the 3-meter with 286.20 points. In fact, SC went 1-2-3 in each diving event. In each case, senior Courtney Keefe (Waltham, Mass.) and junior Paige Rhodes (Milton, N.Y.) placed second and third.
In other events, in the 200-yard medley relay, the Pride took a third with the team of sophomore Kelsey Poole (Westfield, Mass.), junior Janella Cuyler (Mansfield, Conn.), senior Kaitlin Reilly (Cumberland, R.I.), and senior Caroline Kosciusko (West Cornwall, Conn.) combining with a time of 1:54.16.
In the 1000-yard free, SC finished 3-4 as junior Bre Harrington (Ludlow, Mass.) placed third in 11:22.38 and junior Molly Potter (Haverhill, Mass.) came in fourth in 11:34.77.
In the 200-yard free, senior Meghan Sisson (Plainville, Conn.), coming off a grueling weekend after swimming the 1650 and 500 distance events at NYU the day before, finished fourth in 2:02.22.
In the 100-yard breaststroke, SC placed 3-4-5-6. In order, they were sophomore Nicolle Stracqualursi (Dedham, Mass.), sophomore Tanya Roy (Chicopee, Mass.), Cuyler, and senior Jennifer Carignan (Tyngsboro, Mass.). Poole took a second in the 200-yard fly in 2:14.65. Senior Jaclyn Van Waalwijk (Newtown, Conn.) placed sixth in the 200-yard back, with junior Anna Woodward (Longmeadow, Mass.) taking fourth in the 200-yard breast.
In the meet's final event, SC placed second in the 200-yard free relay with Pennington, Van Waalwijk, Kosciusko, and Reilly finishing in 2:14.59.
This Saturday, SC will host Williams at 1 pm in the Linkletter Natatorium.
John Taffe enters his 24th season in 2012-2013 as the head coach of the men's and women's swimming teams at Springfield College. Under Taffe’s leadership, the Pride has returned to its status as one of the best collegiate swimming and diving programs in Division III.Read more.
Peter Avdoulos is regarded as one of the top diving coaches in the nation, and is entering his 28th season as the diving coach for both the men's and women's programs in 2012-2013. The current NEWMAC Men's and Women's Diving Coach of the Year, Avdoulos has coached countless All-New England and All-American divers, as well as several National Champions. Read more.