Veterans, Newcombers Look To Shine For Men's Swimming and Diving
With several national qualifiers returning, and what Coach
John Taffe calls “one of the best recruiting classes in recent years,” the Pride is poised to improve upon its 16th-place finish at the NCAA Division III Championship last winter.
Sophomore All-American
Mike Shaw, the 2003 NEWMAC diver of the year, swept the one- and three-meter dives at the conference championship. At the NCAA Championship, he dove to third-place on the three-meter board, and sixth on the one-meter.
Junior
Louis Arruda, the 2002 NEWMAC swimmer of the year, swam the 200- and 500-yard freestyles, and the 200-yard butterfly at the NCAA Championship. He also won the 200 freestyle and swam legs on the victorious 200, 400 and 800 freestyle relays at the 2003 NEWMAC Championship.
Sophomore
Dan Moran won the 500- and 1,650-yard freestyles, and swam a leg on the winning 800-freestyle relay at last season’s NEWMAC Championship. He qualified for nationals in 100- and 200-yard butterfly, and the 500-yard freestyle.
Junior
Blake Leshnick was a member of three NEWMAC-champion and NCAA-qualifying relay teams. Junior
Jeff Doornweerd set the NEWMAC record with his victory in the 50-yard freestyle at the conference meet, while swimming legs on two victorious relays.
Other top returners include junior
Tim Ryan (IM, backstroke) and sophomore
Ross Craig (distance, butterfly).
Newcomers that will make an immediate impact are
Christopher LeCompte (free, fly),
Ryan Mahoney,
Kyle Vetter and
Nick DeBolli (breast) and
Chet Phillips and
Rob Clark (diving).
Team Links
Head Coach John Taffe
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.
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Contact Head Coach John Taffe
E-Mail | Phone: 413.748.3169
Diving Coach Peter Avdoulos
Peter Avdoulos is regarded as one of the top diving coaches in the nation, and will enter his 28th season as the diving coach for both the men's and women's programs in 2012-2013. The current NEWMAC Men's Diving Coach of the Year, Avdoulos has coached countless All-New England and All-American divers, as well as several National Champions.
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Contact Head Coach Peter Avdoulos
E-Mail | Phone: 413.748.3445
