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Women's Swimming and Diving

Schedule  Roster  Season Review  Coaching Staff  School Records
Women's Swimming and Diving Team

2004 - 2005 Women's Swimming and Diving Team

2004-2005 Schedule

Day Date Opponent RECAP
Saturday Oct. 30 SIMMONS Won, 159-124
Saturday Nov. 6 Betty Spears Relays @Wellesley 3rd Place (5 Teams)
Saturday Nov. 13 Regis Invitational Second Place
Wednesday Nov. 17 MOUNT HOLYOKE Lost, 154.5-144.5
Saturday Nov. 20 at Smith College Lost, 159-140
Wednesday Dec. 1 at Western New England Won, 151-103
Saturday Dec. 4 Mt. Holyoke & Smith @Mt. Holyoke Click for results
Wednesday Dec. 8 EASTERN CONNECTICUT Won, 133-129
Saturday Dec. 11 at Plymouth State - MEET RESULTS Won, 152-140
Saturday Jan. 22 BRIDGEWATER STATE CANCELLED
Wednesday Jan. 26 at Saint Joseph, CT - MEET RESULTS Won, 133-112
Saturday Jan. 29 at Salem State - MEET RESULTS Won, 134-91
Saturday Feb. 5 at Western Connecticut - MEET RESULTS Won, 169-125
Tuesday Feb. 8 REGIS - MEET RESULTS Won, 137-103
Fri.-Sun. Feb. 20-22 New England Championships @Bentley Seventh Place

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2004-2005 Roster

Name CL Hometown (High School)
Michelle Baj JR Belchertown
Lindsey Bartosz JR Chicopee (Comp)
Melissa Blain FR Somers, CT
Laura Bourassa FR Pepperell (Groton-Dunstable)
Kaitlyn Campbell SO Weymouth
Jaclyn Casali JR Natick
Clare Cournoyer SR Hudson (Hudson Catholic)
Nikki Crowe JR Burlington, CT (Lewis Mills)
Christina Galonzka SO Walpole
Bridget Hartley FR Duxbury
Renee Kruszyna FR Chesire (Hoosac Valley
Chrissy Lalli SO Brookline
Shannon McMahon JR Pittsfield (Taconic)
Vanessa Morton JR Wellfleet (Nauset Regional)
Heather Nelson SR Natick
Michelle O'Brien FR West Roxbury (Brookline)
Megan O'Grady SO Milford, CT (Joseph A. Foron)
Kara Phelan FRChelmsford
Katie Piquette SO Seekonk (Bishop Feehan)
Elizabeth Predella SR Sturbridge (Tantasqua Regional)
Nicole Spataro SR Melrose
Kelly Springham SR Walpole
Allison St. Clair FR Brimfield (Tantasqua)
Rachel Webb SO West Springfield
Marianne Wilson SO Tewksbury (Notre Dame Academy)

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2004-2005 Season Review

Owls Place 7th In New England; Post 12th Straight Winning Season

WALTHAM – The Westfield State women’s swimming and diving team finished seventh in the New England championships on Feb. 18-20 at Bentley College.

It was Westfield’s best finish ever in the New England finals. The Owls also tied a school record for winning percentage and most victories in a season with an 8-2 dual meet mark for their 12th straight winning season.

“Everybody swam well for us,” said veteran coach Dave Laing. “As they say in the swim vernacular, we hit the taper at the right time.”

Junior standout Vanessa Morton particularly peaked at the right time. She placed second in the100 freestyle in a school record time of 54.81.

“She was just touched out at the finish,” said Laing.

Morton finished fourth in the 50 freestyle (25.59) and sixth in the 200 freestyle (2:04.06). The Wellfleet (Nauset Regional) native also was a member of four relay teams: 200 medley (sixth), 400 freestyle (seventh), 200 freestyle (eighth), and 800 freestyle (10th).

“Vanessa put it all together at the right time again this year and that was the key," said Laing.

Sophomore Rachel Webb (West Springfield) finished fourth in the 200 butterfly (2:25.57) and 11th in the 1000 freestyle (1:53.2) and sophomore Marianne Wilson (Tewksbury) placed fifth in both the one- and three-meter diving events.

Laing also cited the performances of senior Nicole Spataro and sophomore Katie Piquette. Spataro shattered her personal best in the 200 butterfly with a time of 2:29.54. Piquette earned points in three events: 50 breaststroke (10th), 200 breaststroke (10th), and 100 breaststroke (12th).

WOMEN'S TEAM SCORES (Final): 1. Bentley 902, 2. Brandeis 754.5, 3. St. Michael’s 544, 4. Keene State 541.5, 5. Colby Sawyer 540, 6. UMass-Dartmouth 537, 7. WESTFIELD STATE 442.5, 8. Eastern Connecticut 345, 9. Bridgewater State 339, 10. Western Connecticut 332, 11. Plymouth State 163, 12. Univ. of New England 157, 13. Simmons 149.5, 14. Western New England 142, 15. St. Joseph, Conn. 106, 16. Salem State 101, 17. Roger Williams 100, 18. Regis 95, 19. Elms 58, 20. Norwich 48, 20. Gordon 48, 22. Wheelock 15.

SECOND: Vanessa Morton, 100 freestyle, 54.81.

FOURTH: Vanessa Morton, 50 freestyle, 25.59; Rachel Webb, 200 butterfly, 2:25.57.

FIFTH: Marianne Wilson, one-meter diving, 281.55; Marianne Wilson, three-meter diving, 306.9.

SIXTH: 200 medley relay (Lindsey Bartosz, Katie Piquette, Vanessa Morton, Melissa Blain), 2:01.32; Vanessa Morton, 200 freestyle, 2:04.06.

SEVENTH: 400 freestyle relay (Melissa Blain, Renee Kruszyna, Lindsey Bartosz, Vanessa Morton), 3:55.53.

EIGHTH: 200 freestyle relay (Melissa Blain, Lindsey Bartosz, Renee Kruszyna, Vanessa Morton), 1:47.01; Nicole Spataro, 200 butterfly, 2:29.54.

NINTH: 400 medley relay (Nicole Spataro, Katie Piquette, Heather Nelson, Melissa Blain), 4:34.89; Lindsey Bartosz, 50 backstroke, 30.97.

10th: Katie Piquette, 50 breaststroke, 35.32; Renee Kruszyna, 50 butterfly, 29.84; 800 freestyle relay (Lindsey Bartosz, Renee Kruszyna, Rachel Webb, Vanessa Morton), 8:47.45; Katie Piquette, 200 breaststroke, 2:43.

11th: Kara Phelan, 200 backstroke, 2:24.36; Melissa Blain, 50 freestyle, 26.72; Lindsey Bartosz, 100 backstroke, 1:07.19; Rachel Webb, 1000 freestyle, 1:53.2.

12th: Katie Piquette, 100 breaststroke, 1:16.6; Melissa Blain, 100 freestyle, 59.17; Shannon McMahon, 100 individual medley, 1:09.88.

2003-2004 Four-Year Awards

Katie Abare
Nicole Acheson
Erin Flynn
Jenny Gilbert
Dana LedDuke
Becky Sirota

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Head Coach Dave Laing

Coach Dave Laing has been building the women's swim team at Westfield State into a winner since its inception in 1982. His 22-year record is 116-80-1 and the team has been .500 or better 17 of the past 18 seasons, including all-time bests of 8-2 in 1995, 1996 and 1998. Laing has been at Westfield State for 27 years as a professor in the movement science department. He also coached the women's tennis team for nine seasons and the men's team for one year before they were suspended as varsity sports. In May of 2001 Laing was elected vice-president of the New England Women's Collegiate Swimming and Diving Association. He was selected the New England Division III diving coach of the year in 1991, and also served a two-year term as president of the New England Women's Swimming and Diving Association.

Laing is a 1968 graduate of South Hadley High School and attended Springfield College. At Springfield he was an All American diver and received his degree in physical education in 1972.

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School Records

Event Name Time Date
50 freestyle Vanessa Morton 25.42 11-23-02
100 freestyle Vanessa Morton 54.81 2-22-05
200 freestyle Vanessa Morton 2:02.72 1-31-04
500 freestyle Lori Lauer 5:29.73 2-19-99
1000 freestyle Andrea Scheele 11:18.46 12-11-97
1650 freestyle Andrea Scheele 19:00.96 2-6-97
50 butterfly Vanessa Morton 28.66 12-8-04
100 butterfly Vanessa Morton 1:03.22 12-10-03
200 butterfly Ellicia Santangelo 2:19.81 2-20-94
50 backstroke Karen Rivadeneira 29.62 2-18-95
100 backstroke Andrea Scheele 1:02.12 2-21-98
200 backstroke Andrea Scheele 2:12.58 2-23-96
50 breaststroke Heather Stavros 32.64 2-20-98
100 breaststroke Heather Stavros 1:11.64 2-21-98
200 breaststroke Amy Fischer 2:37.66 2-23-97
100 individual medley Tobey Cronnell 1:02.78 3-1-92
200 individual medley Tobey Cronnell 2:14.49 2-28-92
400 individual medley Tobey Cronnell 4:45.87 2-29-92
200 freestyle relay Kara Lavoie, Scheele, Lathrop, Hamel 1:45.58 2-21-97
400 freestyle relay Lavoie, Lauer, Scheele, Hamel 3:50.79 2-23-97
800 freestyle relay Lauer, Fischer, Scheele, Hamel 8:21.53 2-21-98
200 medley relay Scheele, Fischer, Lathrop, Hamel 1:57.90 2-22-97
400 medley relay Scheele, Fischer, Lathrop, Hamel 4:17.00 2-21-97
160 individual medley Lori LaMagdelaine 1:54.98 12-2-87
60 freestyle Tracy Cooney 33.59 12-4-86
60 butterfly Mary Fitzgerald 37.44 12-4-87
one meter diving - 5 optional Lori Vincent 198.60 12-4-90
one meter diving- 5 required Lori Vincent 166.65 12-6-88
one meter diving - 5 voluntary Kelley Reardon 166.0 1-30-2002
one meter diving - 6 optionals Lori Vincent 236.75 2-1-89
one meter diving - 6 dives Lori Vincent 267.85 12-8-90
one meter diving - 11 dives Lori Vincent 397.30 1-27-90
one meter diving - championship Lori Vincent 375.20 2-26-89
three meter diving - 6 dives Lori Vincent 271.35 12-8-90
three meter diving - championship Lori Vincent 402.20 2-24-91

Women's Swimming History

1982-83: 0-7
1983-84: 1-6
1984-85: 2-4
1985-86: 2-4
1986-87: 6-4
1987-88: 4-3
1988-89: 5-3
1989-90: 4-4
1990-91: 6-3
1991-92: 6-5
1992-93: 5-6
1993-94: 7-3-1
1994-95: 8-2
1995-96: 8-2
1996-97: 9-3
1997-98: 8-2
1998-99: 6-4
1999-2000: 5-4
2000-2001: 5-3
2001-2002: 5-4
2002-2003: 7-2
2003-2004: 7-2

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