The Clark University women’s swim and dive team polished off the 2007-08 campaign with a 5-6 overall record and an 8th place finish (184 points) at the NEWMAC Championships. The Cougars fared well against a tough line-up of competition this season with the addition of strong first-year swimmers, Britney Wigley and Elizabeth Rosen leading the way. The team posted wins over UMass-Dartmouth and Gordon College; experienced success over conference foes Babson College, Mt. Holyoke College, and WPI; and defeated WPI and Assumption College en route to a second place finish at the Worcester City Meet at Holy Cross, where first-year Elizabeth Rosen won two events to earn the swimmer of the meet runner-up nod. She took first in the 1,650-yard freestyle with a new meet time of 18:18.22 and won the 400-individual medley.
Rosen also set new Clark records in the 200-yard freestyle (2:00.01), the 1,000-yard freestyle (10:47.70) and the 1,650-yard freestyle (17:53.52) at the NEWMAC Championships. Rosen, along with classmate Brittney Wigley were amongst the top-10 swimmers in the NEWMAC for the 500, 1,000, and 1,650 freestyle this season.
Six of the Cougar women made the NEWMAC All-Academic team, including seniors Kara Bochicchio, a three-time recipient, and Caitlin Hanson, and juniors Jessica Baker, Korin Danchise-Curtis and Kayleigh Lagasse and sophomore Corri Stewart.
Led by fourth-year head coach Paul E. Phillips, both the Clark University women’s and men’s swim and dive programs posted its second consecutive winning season. In addition to their in the pool exploits, the Cougars broadcasted their first-ever live CougarCast. Betty-Jean (Grazulis) Jaskoviak ’83, a member of Clark’s Athletic Hall Of Fame, and Doug Denny-Brown ’87, one of the team’s most supportive alums, provided the commentary.
Finishing seventh at the NEWMAC Championships, the Cougar women moved up three places and posted its highest finish since 2001-02. Additionally, Clark upped its point total from last year’s mark by 62 points and finished with a pair of new school marks, 71 season-best performances and 41 career records. Meet highlights included first-year Dana Akerfelds fastest finish in the 500-yard freestyle in 25 years and a 100-yard backstroke showing just tenth of a second short of a new school mark. The 200-yard freestyle relay team also posted the highest relay finish in three years and the fastest time since 1997.
The women swam their way to a 7-5 dual-meet mark this winter. Winners of three-straight before the Puerto Rico training trip, Clark returned to take second at the Worcester City Championship. Named the Cathy Desrosiers ’82 Women’s Swimmer of the Meet runner-up, Akerfelds set a new meet mark in the 500-yard free.
The Clark men’s squad (6-5) also had its share of notable accomplishments this season. Although the Cougars placed sixth for the second consecutive year at the NEWMAC Meet, they were within striking distance of the number five slot. In team scoring, the men finished with 272 points just 26 behind fifth. Sophomore Drew Jackson led the way with two record-breaking performances in the 100- and 200-yard backstroke, where he shattered a seven-year old school mark held by former conference backstroke champion Doug Shea ’00. Clark also packed on the points by placing in five of six relay events.
Prior to NEWMAC’s, Clark won three out of four dual-meets to start the season, and returned from their winter break trip to tack on another dual-meet victory.
NEWMAC Championships - 10th place.
The women's team posted a 7-6 dual meet record after consecutive 2-9 campaigns.
Jess Cullen ’09 finished seventh in the 100 back (1:04.92)—the highest individual finish for Clark since 2003. She also finished 12th in the 200 back in 2:20.29, fifth fastest all-time for Clark.
Kayleigh Lagasse ’09 became the first Clark swimmer to score in three individual events since 2003. Lagasse won the consolation final of the 200 fly with a time of 2:18.49, just .55 off the school record. She also placed 13th in the 500 free with a time of 5:28.35, good for third on Clark’s all-time list, and placed 14th in the 100 fly (1:03.06).
The 400 medley relay team of Cullen, Lagasse, Lindsey Stone ’09 and Dominique Wilkins ’08 registered the second-fastest time in school history (4:17.88). Cullen led off the relay in 1:04.12, good for third on Clark’s all-time list for the 100 back.
At the NEWMAC Championships, the women’s swimming and diving team placed 10th. First-year Dominique Wilkins finished 12th in the 100-yard breaststroke and senior co-captain Nora Sullivan was 16th in the 1650-yard freestyle. Junior Hilary Ohmart placed 14th in both 1-meter and 3-meter diving events for the Cougars, achieving Clark all-time top-five status in both events. The 400-yard freestyle relay team of junior Sara Stephenson, Sullivan, first-year Cassandra Crawford and junior Anna Jolley finished ninth with a season best 3:58.87. Overall, the Cougars achieved 27 career-best performances and scored 86 points surpassing their 2004 total of 70 points.
Team awards were presented to Nora Sullivan ’05 (outstanding performer), Kate Lied ’07 and Danielle Petroni ’07 (most improved), and Abby Crowley ’07 (unsung hero). Sara Stephenson ’06 was recognized with the team’s academic achievement award, and she along with senior co-captain Kate Guilbault earned NEWMAC All-Academic selections for the 2004-05 winter season.
Senior co-captain Nora Sullivan led this year’s Cougar squad with first place finishes in the 1000yd freestyle against Gordon, the 1000 and 500yd freestyle at Babson, the 1650 and 500yd free against Umass/Dartmouth, and the 500yd free at Brandeis. She led the Cougars to victory in the final dual meet of the season against WPI by capturing titles and recording career best times in both the 1000 (11:40.47) and 500 (5:40.76) yard freestyles, and adding a second in the 200 yd free. Sullivan led the team in individual points scored for the first time in her career, and was named outstanding performer for the second straight season.
Senior diver Mary Adams led the diving squad this season, by sweeping the 1M and 3M events in dual meets against Wheaton, Babson, Mount Holyoke, and WPI. Adams also earned her first Worcester City Championship titles in both 1M and 3M diving events cometing against WPI and Division I Holy Cross. Junior diver Hilary Ohmart ’06 earned slots on Clark’s All-Time Top Five Performance lists in both the 1M and 3M events, as she finished 14th in both diving events at the NEWMAC championships.
Junior sprinter Anna Jolley ranked among the top point getters at each of Clark’s meets, and finished the season with the top Cougar times in the 50, 100, and 200 yard freestyle events. First-year swimmer Dominique Wilkins made her presence felt in the breaststroke, finishing with the season’s top times in the 50, 100 and 200 yard events. At the NEWMAC Championships Wilkins earned the Cougars’ highest individual finish, placing 12th in the 100 breast.
The women’s team experienced significant growth in 2003-04 despite a roster featuring 14 new members, including 8 freshmen. They got off to a quick start by winning their first two dual meets at Gordon and Bridgewater State, with converted water polo player, Anna Jolley ’06 winning multiple events in each of the first three dual meets of her career. Lone-senior and co-captain Liz Olson ’04 won the 1000 Fr and 100 Bk at Gordon, and junior co-captain Nora Sullivan ’05 had multiple wins against Wheaton, including a dramatic come-from-behind victory in the 500 Free. In January, Sophomore Hilary Ohmart swept the diving events at UMass/Dartmouth. The Cougars’ dual meet season finished with Sullivan winning the 1000 and 500 Freestyle events in the final meet against WPI. At NEWMAC Championships, the women recorded 43 season-best and 44 lifetime best times, highlighted by Sara Stephenson’s 14th place finish in the 400 IM. Divers Hilary Ohmart ’06 and Allie Whalen ’07 achieved Clark all-time top-five scores on the 1-meter board at NEWMACS.
In 2002, Jaime Armstrong ’03 won the 100 Fly at NEWMAC Championships, earning all-conference honors and establishing new school and conference records. Katie Calabrese ’02 finished third in the 100 Breast, and fourth in the 200 Breast at NEWMAC’s, establishing school records in both events.
The 2001-2002 team finished with a 7-4 dual meet record and placed sixth in the NEWMAC Championship. Senior Katie Calabrese broke two twenty-year standing school records in both the 100 yard breaststoke (1:10.04) as well as the 200 yard breaststroke (2:31.32). She finished third in the 100 breaststroke and fourth in the 200 yard breaststoke at the NEWMAC Championship. Junior Jaime Armstrong won the 100 yard butterfly event at the NEWMAC Champiosnhip and earned all-conference honors. During the year she set school records in the 50 and 100 yard butterfly and the 100 backstroke. Diver Laura O'Tell had another impressive season, finishing in the top ten in the one-meter and three-meter events at the championship.
In the 2000-2001 season, Jamie Armstrong '03, Ildiko Polyak '03, and Laura O'Tell '03 had impressive seasons. At the NEWMAC Championship, Armstrong finished second in the 100 fly and sixth in the 100 free, while Polyak earned a sixth place finish in the 1650 free. Armstrong broke the school record in the 50 back. Diver O'Tell earned six first place finishes in the one-meter and five wins in the three-meter against dual meet opponents.
First year swimmers Jamie Armstrong '03 and Ildiko Polyak '03 along with diver Laura O'Tell had outstanding rookie seasons. Armstrong finished second in the 100 free, third in the 100 fly and fifth in the 50 free at the NEWMAC Championship. Armstrong broke Clark's top five times in four events. Polyak cracked the top five in the 200 back and the 500 free. O'Tell dominated dual meet opponents, tallying seven first place finishes in the one-meter, and five wins in the three-meter event. She placed fourth in the one-meter at the NEWMAC Championship.
Clark Swimmer Katie Calabrese '02 earned 1999 NEWMAC All-Conference honors at the inaugural conference championship by winning the 100 breaststroke.
Diver Megan Farmer '98 was the first Clark diver since 1988 to qualify for the NCAA National Diving Championships. At the Nationals in Atlanta, she was 21st in the three-meter diving event and 34th in the one-meter diving to finish 24th overall.
Sarah Barabani '99 had an impressive rookie season, breaking three individual school records (50 backstroke, 100 backstroke, 100 IM) and swimming on Clark's record 200 medley relay, 200 freestyle relay, and 400 freestyle relay. At the New England Championships, Barabani had three Top 10 finishes in the 100 IM (5th), 50 backstroke (8th), and 100 backstroke (10th).
Charlene Wilk '97 earned Clark's highest finish at the 1995 New Englands (5th in the 100 butterfly), and she also was 10th in the 200 fly and 14th in the 50 fly.
Catherine Desrosiers '82 was Clark's first four-time All-America athlete, and she was the 1982 NCAA National runner-up in the 200 breaststroke. She was inducted into Clark's Athletic Hall of Fame in the University's inaugural induction in 1994.