Dudunake, Kirchner Garner GNAC Weekly Awards

BOSTON, Mass. – Elms College sophomore Tessa Dudunake (Northampton, Mass.) and freshman Ashley Kirchner (Dalton, Mass.) swept the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Player of the Week awards in women's swimming as announced by the organization on Tuesday.

Dudunake earned Swimmer of the Week honors after earning three top 10 finishes in individual events at the New England Intercollegiate Swimming and Diving Association (NEISDA) championships. This included a fourth place mark in the 100-yard individual medley (1:03.41), and ninth place finishes in the 50-yard breaststroke (32.70) and the 50-yard freestyle (25.95). Dudunake's time of 1:03.41 in the 100-yard IM broke the Elms school record in the event, while her time of 25.80 in the 50-yard freestyle earlier in the three-day event also established a new school mark. In addition, she was a part of four top 10 and school-record setting relay squads, including the 200-yard medley relay (1:56.44), the 400-yard medley relay (4:17.69), the 200-yard freestyle relay (1:44.37) and the 400-yard freestyle relay (3:48.59).

Kirchner also claimed three top 10 finishes at the NEISDA Championships en route to being named GNAC Rookie of the Week. Kirchner's efforts were highlighted by a seventh place mark in the 100-yard individual medley (1:05.02), and setting new Elms records in the 200-yard individual medley (2:22.03) and the 50-yard butterfly (28:50) capturing ninth place finishes in both races. Additionally, Kirchner was part of each of the aforementioned record-setting relay squads.