Wildcats Capture Fourth Straight America East Championship

Saturday, February 25

Worcester, Mass.

10 AM

University of New Hampshire

America East Championships

2/25/2023 11:52:00 PM | Women's Swimming and Diving

Willman wins 21st career Coach of the Year Award.

PHOTO GALLERY

WORCESTER, Mass. – The University of New Hampshire swimming and diving team won its fourth straight America East Championship and 11th overall on Saturday evening at the WPI Sports and Recreation Center.

This is the first time in program history that UNH has won four in a row. The Wildcats have a league-record 11 championships (1998, 1999, 2005, 2006, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023).

"I am so proud of this team and especially our senior class," said head coach Josh Willman. "Winning four championships in a row was their own goal when they won as freshmen in 2020. We have faced so many challenges over the past four seasons. Our freshman class came on board and committed themselves and trusted us and really came through for us along with the sophomores and juniors. It was an amazing experience."

Senior captain Jamy Lum (Honolulu, Hawaii) won the Dave Alexander Coaches Award given to the athlete with the most points at the championship over her four years. Lum, who won her eighth career individual championship tonight in the 200 breaststroke, also won eight relay titles for a total of 16 championships. She earned All-America East honors 19 times.

Willman, assistant coach Caleb Potvin and diving coach Cecelia Tarr were named the America East Staff of the Year. Willman, who is the America East Conference's most highly decorated coach, won his 21st career Coach of the Year award. He has been selected America East Coach of the Year a league-record 17 times (1993, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023) and ECAC Coach of the Year four times (2003, 2011, 2013 and 2014).

The Wildcats won the championship with a total of 833 points. UNH had 20 total champions this year giving the program an amazing 420 all-time America East champions. Freshman Audrey Mahoney (Downers Grove, Ill.) took the 50 freestyle and was a member of four relay winning teams, while Lum won two individual championships (100 and 200 breaststroke) and two relays. Sophomore Chiara Maria Pradissitto (Milan, Italy) took gold in four relays, while graduate student Shelby Kasse (Hoofddorp, Netherlands), senior Olivia Stille (Stockholm, Sweden) and junior Abby McKinney (Westfield, N.J.) each earned two relays gold medals. Sophomore Ana O'Neil (St. Paul, Minn.) won the team's first gold of the championship by placing first in the three-meter diving event.

MEET INFO:
America East Championships
Location: Worcester, Mass. (WPI Sports and Recreation Center)
Date: Feb. 25, 2023 (Day 4 of 4)
Final Team Standings: UNH (833), Bryant (664), Vermont (563.5), UMBC (503.5), Binghamton (367.5), Maine (321.5), VMI (141)

RESULTS

HOW IT HAPPENED:

200 BREASTSTROKE
Lum won her eighth career individual championship and her second of the meet with a time of 2:15.95.

Freshman Sophia Routzahn (Frederick, Md.) was fifth in a time of 2:20.00.

400 FREESTYLE RELAY
The team of Stille, McKinney, Pradissitto and Mahoney won gold with a time of 3:24.87 giving the Wildcats their fourth relay win.

200 BACKSTROKE
The Wildcats were outstanding in the 200 backstroke taking second, third and fourth. Freshman Caitlin Mason won silver with a time of 2:01.11 earning her first America East medal. Freshman Ella Guilfoil (Fairport, N.Y.) won bronze in a time of 2:01.15, while Kasse was fourth in a time of 2:01.31.

100 FREESTYLE
Mahoney won the silver medal in a time of 50.62, while Stille took bronze in a time of 50.95.

200 BUTTERFLY
The Wildcats had four athletes qualify for the A Final of the 200 butterfly.

Senior captain Madison Linstedt (Marion, Ohio) won the bronze at 2:03.91. Sophomore Megumi Komoto (Schaumburg, Ill.) was sixth at 2:06.20, while Mason was seventh at 2:06.60 and Grace Sala (Sun Prairie, Wis.) was eighth at 2:07.25.

1650 FREESTYLE
Senior Paige Edmier (Bartlett, Ill.) placed fifth (17:11.45), while junior Hannah Devine (Hamilton, N.J.) was sixth (17:13.07). Freshman Carolyn Nelson (Glen Ellyn, Ill.) was seventh (17:24.89).

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