Swimming And Diving Hosts The UMass Aquatics Alumni Reunion Weekend The men's and women's swimming and diving teams held the UMass Aquatics Alumni Reunion over this past weekend. During the end-of-the-season banquet, head coaches Russ Yarworth, Bob Newcomb, and Mandy Hixon gave out team awards, presented the team captains for next season and honored the departing senior class. Sophomore Elizabeth Walsh (Marshfield, Mass.), junior Karen Upperco (Titusville, N.J.), senior Reuben Rappe (Farmington, Minn.), and freshman Andrew Willbrant (Londonderry, N.H.) were honored as this seasons Most Valuable Performers. (more)
The UMass Aquatics Alumni Reunion Weekend will be May 2-4 (Friday-Sunday). There is a full list of activities planned for the weekend including the Team Banquet and the Annual Auction. All registration information is available at www.UMassAquatics.com. The Econo Lodge in Hadley will be holding a block of rooms at a discounted rate for the Alumni Weekend. The rate is $104 + tax each night. To receive the discounted rate, guests should call the hotel at 413-582-7077 and ask for the UMass Swim & Dive Alumni group block. (more)
CollegeSwimming.com Mid-Major Poll
Coming off its 10th Atlantic 10 Championship title, the University of Massachusetts men's swimming and diving team has been ranked No. 9 nationally in the final CollegeSwimming.com Mid-Major Poll of the year. This is the second consecutive year that the Minutemen finished the year ranked ninth in the poll. UMass finished the dual meet season with a 5-2 overall record and won the Boston University Terrier and Rhode Island Invitationals alongside the Minutemen's 10th A-10 Conference title.
Senior Reuben Rappe (Farmington, Minn.) and junior Karen Upperco (Titusville, N.J.) wrapped up their season this past weekend after competing in the NCAA Zone Diving Regional at the Alumni Arena Natatorium, in Buffalo, New York. Both Upperco and Rappe improved their dives from last year, with Rappe finishing seventh out of 31 divers in the three-meter dive with a score of 603.80 and fifth overall in the one-meter dive with a score of 581.25. Upperco finished fourth overall out of 22 divers on both boards with a score 532.65 in the one-meter and 563.65 on the three-meter board.
As announced by the league, three members of the UMass swimming and diving teams were named to the 2008 Atlantic 10 All-Conference Team. For the women's team, senior Samantha Demty (Seekonk, Mass.) was named, while sophomore Michael Berthaume (Hampden, Mass.) and senior John Weaver (East Longmeadow, Mass.) were named to the men's team. The swimming and diving teams wrapped up the regular season at the end of February with the Atlantic 10 Championships. Overall, the women placed fourth, while the men took home their tenth A-10 title.
Senior R.J. Rappe (Farmington, Minn.) of the men's diving squad, junior Karen Upperco (Titusville, N.J.) of the women's diving team and junior Doc Schneider (Massapequa, N.Y), the goalie for the men's lacrosse team, were chosen for Athlete of the Week.
11/14 - SWM: Women's Swim Coach Bob Newcomb Interview
