Women’s Swimming Garners GNAC Honors

CHICOPEE, Mass. – Elms College men’s and women’s swimming coach Bill Tyler was named the 2009-10 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Coach of the Year and freshman swimmer Tessa Dudunake (Northampton, Mass.) was named the GNAC Freshman of the Year as recently announced by the organization.

Tyler, who was selected as GNAC Coach of the Year for the third time in his six-year career at Elms College, led both teams to their best finishes. The men’s team won a school-record six dual meets, and finished in a program-best seventh place at the season-ending New England Intercollegiate Swimming and Diving Association (NEISDA) Championship meet. On the women’s side, Elms placed second at the GNAC Championships, and came in 13th at the NEISDA Championships. The Blazers also won a program-best nine dual meets during the season, including six straight to end the campaign.

Dudunake set a new meet record and Simmons College pool record in the 100-yard individual medley, and also set an individual school record at the meet in addition to swimming a leg of the 400-yard freestyle relay squad that clocked a new GNAC record. At the NEISDA Championships, Dudunake claimed three individual records and was a part of four of the Blazers’ five record-setting relay squads.

Sophomore Sonia Vaz (Randolph, Mass.) was selected as Elms College’s individual sportsmanship award winner. Vaz was a vocal leader for the Blazers in her first season and will look to continue that role next year.