2005-06 UMASS DARTMOUTH WOMEN’S SWIMMING PREVIEW

NORTH DARTMOUTH, MA-With their first Little East Conference championship under their belt, the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth women’s swimming team will try to successfully defend their conference title, while also improving their overall performance.

The Corsairs finished fourth at last year’s New England Division III Championships and qualified three student-athletes for the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference Championships.

“I’m hoping that we repeat as Little East Conference champions,” said UMass Dartmouth Head Coach Cathy Motta. “We only lost one senior, we have 29 people on our squad, and we have a good group of returning varsity swimmers and divers and some talented incoming freshmen. The majority of our freshmen will contribute significantly this year, and we should have good depth.”

Seniors Seanna McRae (East Taunton, MA/Taunton HS) and Kelly Kidd (Denville, NJ/Morris Knolls HS) and junior Meagan Coache (New Bedford, MA/New Bedford HS) are among the returning leaders. McRae broke school records in the 200-yard breaststroke and 200 yard backstroke last year, while finishing third in both the 100 and 200-yard breaststroke and being on two third place relay teams at the New England Championships. Coache won the 50-yard butterfly, was second in the 100-yard butterfly and was also a member of the same two relay teams, while Kidd won the one-meter dive and was third in the three-meter dive at the New England Championships.

At the LEC Championships, Coache finished first in the 100 yard freestyle and the 100 yard butterfly, McRae was the conference champion in the 100 yard breaststroke, the 200 yard breaststroke and the 200 yard backstroke, and Kidd placed first in both one and three meter diving. 

“Seanna is a senior who set two school records last year,” said Motta. “Meagan is one of our captains. She is our school record holder in the 100 butterfly, and she will probably be one of our fastest sprinters. Kelly is another one of our captains. She is close to qualifying for the NCAAs in diving, which would be quite an accomplishment.”

McRae, Coache and Kidd will be aided by several of their teammates. “I’m expecting good things from (sophomore) Hannah Blount (Nantucket, MA/Nantucket HS), (senior) Kate Deneen (Scituate, MA/Scituate HS), (senior) Sarah Desjardins (East Freetown, MA/Apponequet HS), (senior) Jess Fallon (East Walpole, MA/Walpole HS), (sophomore) Shannon Quinn (Waltham, MA/Waltham HS) and (junior) Sarah Toltin (Sandwich, MA/Sacred Heart HS),” said Motta. “They should all be among the top swimmers at the Little East Conference meet, and they should be among the top eight in the New England Championships. They will definitely be significant contributors, point-wise.”

The schedule is tough, but Motta feels that her team is ready. “We seem to have a very cohesive unit,” said Motta. “They’re very excited about the season, which, as a coach, makes me feel good. In the Little East, the toughest teams we will face will be Keene State and Eastern Connecticut. In our dual meets, the best teams we’ll face will be Bentley, Colby-Sawyer, Providence and Wheaton.”

UMASS DARTMOUTH SWIMMING