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)
Track and field's Christina DeRosa, skiing's Jason Small and diving's Karen Upperco were honored by the UMass Athletic Department as the Winter Scholar-Athletes of the season. All three student-athletes excelled in and out of the classroom this winter and were honored at the weekly sports luncheon in the Campus Center. (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)
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 seventh A-10 title.
After sitting atop the leader board for the first three days, the Massachusetts men and Richmond women closed out championship titles at the Atlantic 10 Men's and Women's Swimming and Diving Championships on Saturday evening at the Flickinger Center. The Minutemen won for the seventh time in the past eight seasons. Massachusetts finished with a total of 791.5 points, an astounding 224 point lead over second-place St. Bonaventure. The Minutewomen battled to the end for a fourth place with a score of 430.5 points after squeezing by Fordham by 6.5 points. Russ Yarworth was named Men's Coach of the Year and Mandy Hixon was named Diving Coach of the Year for both men's and women's diving. Senior Reuben Rappe (Farmington, Minn.) was named Men's Most Outstanding Diver while junior Karen Upperco (Titusville, N.J.) was named Women's Most Outstanding Diver.
11/14 - SWM: Women's Swim Coach Bob Newcomb Interview
