CENTER VALLEY, Pa. — The Patriot League Women’s Swimming and Diving 25th Anniversary Team was announced on Wednesday as Navy led all schools with eight selections while Army West Point placed six on the squad.
The team members are listed below by school along with each player’s years of competition within the Patriot League. Each school that participates in women’s swimming and diving selected 25 players in the voting for the 25th Anniversary Team, and could not vote for its own student-athletes.
American: Megan Thiel (2004-08); Dory Isaacs (2007-11)
Army West Point: Chelsea Haviland (2002-06); Colleen Criscillo (1991); Rachel Pick (1993-97); Lindsay Adao (2006-10); Heidi Borden (1997-01); Carolyn Harris (1995-99)
Boston University: Stephanie Nasson (2013-present)
Bucknell: Jennifer Myers (1994-98); Margaret Grunow (1990-93); Emma Levendoski (2012-present)
Colgate: Emma Santoro (2009-13); Caren Guyett (2007-11)
Holy Cross: Coleen Lynch (1991-95); Kim Rinaldi (1999-02)
Lehigh: Lauren Ayres (1998-02)
Navy: Laura Gorinski (2009-13); Tara Chapmon (2006-10); Darcy Stuart (1993-97); Thuy-Mi Dinh (2006-10); Kelly Zahalka (2005-09); Julia Mason (1995-99); Heidi Fearon (1992-96); Melissa Hawley (1998-02)
Fifteen of the Anniversary Team members won the Patriot League Swimmer of the Meet award in their career, with eight of those claiming the honor more than once. Five others claimed at least one Patriot League Diver of the Meet honor, with four of those winning the award multiple times. Eleven Anniversary Team members were also named to the Patriot League All-Decade Team for competition from 1990-2000, while the group has combined for 75 All-League honors (All-League Teams were not awarded in the first four seasons of Patriot League competition). There was at least one 25th Anniversary Team member on 17 teams which won the League Championship.
The Patriot League is releasing 25th Anniversary Teams throughout the month of August for each sport that has been sponsored by the League since it became an all-sport conference beginning in the 1990-91 season. In addition to the 25th Anniversary Teams, coverage throughout the 2015-16 season will focus on former student-athletes and top stories in the history of the Patriot League.
More information on the Patriot League Women’s Swimming and Diving 25th Anniversary Team members is included below, with the honorees listed alphabetically. All seasons listed designate the player’s years of competition within the Patriot League.
Patriot League Women’s Swimming and Diving 25th Anniversary Team
Lindsay Adao, Army West Point (2006-10) — Adao earned All-Patriot League status in all four of her seasons, earning second-team recognition from 2007-08 and first-team honors in 2009-10 when she also claimed the League’s Diver of the Meet award. She won both the 1-meter and 3-meter in each of those seasons, and competed at the NCAA Zone A Diving Championships in each of her final three years.
Lauren Ayres, Lehigh (1998-02) — Ayres earned All-Patriot League honors in each of her four seasons, and helped Lehigh win consecutive Patriot League titles as a sophomore and junior in 2000 and 2001. Ayres was named the Patriot League Swimmer of the Meet in the 2000 season, and won four individual titles at the League Championship in her career. She was also selected to the Patriot League All-Decade Team.
Heidi Borden, Army West Point (1997-01) — Borden earned first-team All-Patriot League recognition in each of her four seasons at Army West Point. She also received the Patriot League Swimmer of the Meet honor as a senior in 2001, and won four individual events at the League Championship while never finishing lower than third in her nine events. Borden is a member of the Patriot League All-Decade Team.
Tara Chapmon, Navy (2006-10) — Chapmon is the only three-time winner of the Patriot League Swimmer of the Meet award, claiming the honor in her final three seasons from 2008-10 and helping Navy win the League title in her senior year. She earned four first-team All-League honors as she also helped the Mids to the 2007 Patriot League title. Chapmon won 10 individual titles at the Patriot League Championship, with four in the 200 free and three in both the 500 and 1650 free. She competed in a pair of events at both the 2009 and 2010 NCAA Championship meets, with a top finish of 23rd in the 200 free in 2010.
Colleen Criscillo, Army West Point (1991) — Criscillo made the most of her only season in the Patriot League as she led Army West Point to the inaugural title and captured Swimmer of the Meet honors in 1991. She is a member of the Patriot League All-Decade Team. Criscillo had an accomplished career before the Patriot League formed that included 11 All-America honors and four silver medals in the 100 and 200 breastroke at the NCAA Championship.
Thuy-Mi Dinh, Navy (2006-10) — Dinh was a first-team All-Patriot League honoree in each of her four seasons, and helped Navy win the League title as a freshman in 2007 and again as a senior in 2010. She won the 50 free in all four years at the League Championship, and also took first place in the 100 free three times. Dinh added 10 relay titles at the League Championship as she has a total of 17 overall victories. She is also the only Patriot Leaguer to compete at the NCAA Championship in three different years, with her top showing coming with a 32nd-place performance in the 50 free in 2009.
Heidi Fearon, Navy (1992-96) — Fearon claimed the Patriot League Co-Swimmer of the Meet award in both 1994 and 1996, and helped Navy win the League title in each of her four seasons. She won nine individual titles at the League Championship, claiming the 500 free and 1650 free three times each with a pair of wins in the 400 IM and one in the 200 butterfly. Fearon was also named to the Patriot League All-Decade Team.
Laura Gorinski, Navy (2009-13) — Gorinski had a decorated career that included the Patriot League Swimmer of the Meet award in both 2012 and 2013 and the League’s Rookie of the Year honor in 2010, as she helped Navy win the League title in each of those three seasons. She also earned first-team All-Patriot League status in all four seasons, and is the all-time leader for titles in individual events (11) and overall (20) at the League Championship. Gorinski won both the 100 and 200 breaststroke in each of her four seasons, and the 200 IM three times. Gorinski competed in all three events at the 2012 NCAA Championship, with a top finish of 33rd in the 200 breast. She also excelled in the classroom, winning the Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year award three times and adding Academic All-America status as a senior.
Margaret Grunow, Bucknell (1990-93) — Grunow competed in three seasons in the Patriot League, and earned the Swimmer of the Meet honor in the last two by claiming the award in both 1992 and 1993. She won 11 of her 12 career races at the Patriot League Championship, and was also named to the League’s All-Decade Team.
Caren Guyett, Colgate (2007-11) — Guyett had a great career during a golden era for Colgate as the Raiders won the Patriot League title in her freshman and sophomore seasons in 2008 and 2009 and again in her senior year in 2011. She earned first-team All-Patriot League status in each of her four seasons, and won three individual events and three relays at the League Championship in her career.
Carolyn Harris, Army West Point (1995-99) — Harris won the Patriot League Swimmer of the Meet award in both 1997 and 1998, and added a third-consecutive first-team All-League selection the next season. Harris won both the 500 free and 1650 free in both 1997 and 1998, and also won the 200 fly in the former year. She is also a member of the Patriot League All-Decade Team.
Chelsea Haviland, Army West Point (2002-06) — Haviland stands out as the most accomplished diver in Patriot League history. She was the only competitor to earn the Patriot League Diver of the Meet award in each of her four seasons, also receiving first-team All-Patriot League status each year from 2003-06. She was the only diver in League history to win both the 1-meter and 3-meter boards in each of her four seasons. Haviland finished in the top 35 in competing in both events at the 2006 NCAA Championship. She holds the overall League record and the meet record in the 3-meter (11 dives).
Melissa Hawley, Navy (1998-02) — Hawley won the Patriot League Swimmer of the Meet award as a freshman in 1999 and again as a senior in 2002, and helped the Mids win the Patriot League title in each of those seasons. She was named to the All-Patriot League Team in each of her four seasons, and among her seven individual titles at the League Championship were three in both the 200 butterfly and 200 IM. Hawley was also selected to the Patriot League All-Decade Team.
Dory Isaacs, American (2007-11) –Isaacs earned first-team All-Patriot League honors in each of her four seasons at American, and is a two-time NCAA “B” Qualifier. She holds the League Championship meet record in the 100 breaststroke.
Emma Levendoski, Bucknell (2012-present) — Levendoski has been outstanding in her first three seasons at Bucknell, earning first-team All-Patriot League status each year from 2013-15. She swept the 100 and 200 backstroke races in each of her first three seasons for six individual titles. Levendoski competed in both events at the 2015 NCAA Championship and will look to continue her success as a senior in 2015-16.
Coleen Lynch, Holy Cross (1991-95) — Lynch had a stellar career at Holy Cross that was capped by winning the Patriot League Co-Swimmer of the Meet award as well as the Scholar-Athlete of the Year honor as a senior in 1995. She won six individual titles at the League Championship, with three in the 200 free, two in the 100 free and another in the 500 free with wins in all three races as a senior. Lynch is a member of the Patriot League All-Decade Team.
Julia Mason, Navy (1995-99) — Mason earned consecutive All-Patriot League honors in 1996-97 and again as a senior in 1999, and helped Navy win the Patriot League title in each of those three seasons. She was named the League’s Co-Swimmer of the Meet in her first two years of competition, and won eight individual events as well as eight relays in her League Championship appearances despite missing the meet in 1998. Mason won the 100 and 200 breaststroke races in each of her three seasons of competition. She was also the first Patriot League women’s swimmer to compete at the NCAA Championship with a 30th-place finish in the 200 breaststroke in 1997.
Jennifer Myers, Bucknell (1994-98) — Myers earned first-team All-Patriot League honors in each of her four seasons, and began her career by claiming the Patriot League Co-Swimmer of the Meet award in 1995. She won eight individual titles in her career at the Patriot League Championship, and was a member of the League’s All-Decade Team.
Stephanie Nasson, Boston University (2013-present) — Nasson has excelled in her first two seasons in the Patriot League, earning first-team All-League honors each time and the League’s Swimmer of the Meet award in her debut campaign in 2014 when she won the 500 free and 1650 free, setting a League and meet record in the latter. Nasson also swam both races at the 2014 NCAA Championship, and came in 26th place in the 1650 free. She repeated as League champion in the 1650 free last year and enters her senior season in 2015-16.
Rachel Pick, Army West Point (1993-97) — Pick claimed the Patriot League Diver of the Meet award in three of her four seasons, capturing the honor in 1994, 1995 and 1997. She won five Patriot League titles and was also the runner-up three times.
Kim Rinaldi, Holy Cross (1999-02) — Rinaldi concluded her career with back-to-back Patriot League Diver of the Meet awards in 2001 and 2002. She won the 1-meter and 3-meter dives in each of those seasons, and qualified to compete in the NCAA Regional as a senior.
Emma Santoro, Colgate (2009-13) — Santoro earned first-team All-Patriot League honors in each of her four seasons, and helped Colgate win the League title in 2011 when she won the 400 IM and was part of the winning 800 free relay team. She won both events along with the 400 free relay at the 2013 League Championship.
Darcy Stuart, Navy (1993-97) — Stuart earned the Patriot League Co-Diver of the Meet award as a senior in 1997, and earned first-team All-League status in her final two years. She also helped Navy to League titles in each of her four seasons from 1994-97. Stuart has a claim to fame in the NCAA Championship among Patriot League competitors as she is the only female to earn All-America recognition. Stuart finished 14th in the 10-meter diving event in 1994 and 10th in 1996 to claim the All-America honors, and also competed in both the 1-meter and 3-meter in 1994 and the 1-meter again in 1996.
Megan Thiel, American (2004-08) — Thiel had an outstanding career that included the Patriot League Swimmer of the Meet honor in her first two seasons in 2005 and 2006, and first-team All-League status in each of her four years. She also earned the League’s Rookie of the Year honor in 2005 and Scholar-Athlete of the Year award in 2006. Thiel qualified for the NCAA Championship in both the 500 free and 1650 free in 2006, finishing in the top 40 in each event.
Kelly Zahalka, Navy (2005-09) — Zahalka earned first-team All-Patriot League honors in her first three seasons at Navy, and helped the Mids to the Patriot League title in 2007 when she captured the Swimmer of the Meet award. Zahalka won the 400 IM three times, 200 butterfly twice and 200 IM once at the League Championship, and was in first in all three races in 2007. She also had six relay titles at the League Championship. Zahalka had great success in the classroom, winning the Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year award and Academic All-America recognition in three straight seasons from 2007-09.
Swimming news courtesy of Patriot League.