WESTWOOD, Mass. - The NEWMAC is excited to announce the Women’s Swimming and Diving 25 Year All-NEWMAC Team in recognition of the historic 25th Anniversary season. A total of 37 student-athletes have been recognized from the last 25 years, announced by the conference office. The honored team was voted on by the membership.
Within the talented group of 37 student-athletes, 18 were recognized as Athletes of the Year. Among the members, there were a total of 329 First-Team selections.
Springfield's John Taffe and Pete Avdoulos were voted as both the top Swimming and Diving coaches from the past 25 years. Taffe has been with Springfield since 1989 and just finished his 34th season with the Pride. He has been named NEWMAC Swimming Coach of the Year 10 times in his tenure and led student-athletes to 186 All-America honors. Coach Taffe and the Pride earned 10 consecutive NEWMAC titles from 2000-2010.
Avdoulos has been with Springfield since 1985 and just finished his 38th season with the Pride. Avdoulos has been named the NEWMAC Women’s Diving Coach of the Year seven times. Coach and has led student-athletes to 123 All-America Honors and seven NCAA National Champions, being named the NCAA Diving Coach of the Year four times since 1996.
The Women’s Swimming and Diving 25 Year All-NEWMAC Team was voted on by current swimming and diving coaches and sports information directors at the conference's 10 member institutions. Voters were asked to rank student-athletes and were not allowed to vote for members or coaches from their own institution. To be eligible for the 25th anniversary team, student-athletes must have been recognized on the NEWMAC First-Team All-Conference team at least twice, and/or earned Athlete of the Year honors. Coaches must have coached in the NEWMAC for a minimum of 10 seasons.
The NEWMAC was established in 1998, when the former New England Women's 8 Conference (NEW 8) voted to begin sponsoring conference play and championships for men. At this time, the conference expanded its membership to include Springfield College and the United States Coast Guard Academy, while Emerson College became the 11th full-time member of the conference on July 1, 2013. Salve Regina University will become the conferences 12th core member, effective on June 1, 2023.
Women’s Swimming and Diving 25 Year All-NEWMAC Team (listed alphabetically by first name)
| Name |
Institution |
Years with Conference Awards |
| Alison Mellage |
Springfield |
2000-2003 |
| Amy Jacobi |
MIT |
2007-2012 |
| Anna Kokensparger |
MIT |
2009-2012 |
| Blake Zhou |
MIT |
2017-2020 |
| Callie Phillips |
Springfield |
2012-2016 |
| Cathleen Pruden |
Mount Holyoke |
2012-2016 |
| Christy Rogers |
MIT |
2010-2014 |
| Darby Schlaht |
Coast Guard |
1999-2003 |
| Delaney Dyjak |
Springfield |
2013-2018 |
| Doria Holbrook |
MIT |
2005-2008 |
| E. Garcia |
Clark |
2009-2012 |
| Edenna Chen |
MIT |
2019-2022 |
| Emily Medeiros |
Springfield |
2013-2017 |
| Emmie Ryan |
MIT |
2011-2015 |
| Georgene Hilb |
MIT |
2000-2004 |
| Hannah Mahaffey |
MIT |
2017-2020 |
| Jenna Hayden |
Wheaton |
2014-2018 |
| Jennifer Thompson |
Springfield |
2010-2014 |
| Jess Chen |
MIT |
2014-2018 |
| Jessica Wegner |
Wellesley |
2019-2022 |
| Juliana Edwards |
MIT |
2004-2006 |
| Kathryn Duffy |
MIT |
2000-2004 |
| Kellie Pennington |
Springfield |
2010-2014 |
| Kim Shadwick |
Coast Guard |
2008-2011 |
| Laura Rosado |
MIT |
2019-2022 |
| Lindsay Moore |
Springfield |
1999-2002 |
| Lindsey Bjornstad |
MIT |
2018-2022 |
| Lydia DaCorte |
Wheaton |
2017-2022 |
| Mary Boiczyk |
Springfield |
1998-1999 |
| Maura Sticco-Ivins |
Wellesley |
2014-2018 |
| Meg Lynch |
Babson |
2004-2008 |
| Megan Skinner |
Springfield |
2001-2005 |
| Moira Price |
Springfield |
2006-2009 |
| Nicole Zais |
Wheaton |
2007-2011 |
| Shannon Hagmaier |
MIT |
2018-2020 |
| Shanti Freitas |
Smith |
2004-2006 |
| Veronika Jedryka |
MIT |
2013-2017 |