March 10, 2010

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Recently, the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) selected MIT Coach Dawn Dill and freshman Anna Kokensparger as recipients of swimming and diving postseason awards. Coach Dill received Coach of the Year honors for her work with Tech’s men’s swimming and diving program, while Kokensparger was tabbed as Rookie of the Year on behalf of the women’s team.

For the second consecutive season, MIT’s men’s program finished undefeated (8-0) in dual-meet competition. Last month, the Engineers captured the NEWMAC Men’s Swimming and Diving Championship crown, their second-straight and fifth-ever conference title.

The Engineers were ranked No. 5 nationally during a mid-season poll, and Coach Dill received national recognition when she and Kathy Milliken, coach of Kalamazoo College, became the first pair of women to lead two men’s teams to a top-five spot in any NCAA poll. This is Dill’s second Coach of the Year award on the men's side; she also received it in 2006 for her leadership of MIT’s women’s team.

Anna Kokensparger, MIT’s other postseason award-winner, received Rookie of the Year honors from NEWMAC coaches after her impressive performance at this year’s conference championship. The freshman won all three of her individual events—the 100 Fly (55.66), 200 Fly (2:04.10) and 200 IM (2:04.90)—in NEWMAC-record fashion. She also picked up another three wins as anchor of the Engineers’ relay teams.

Heading into next weekend’s NCAA Division-III Championship, Kokensparger’s time in the 200 IM is the top time posted this season among event qualifiers. This will be the first time in program history that an MIT swimmer is ranked No. 1 entering the championship meet. She is also ranked in the top-10 in her other individual events, and Kokensparger will swim in Tech’s relays as well.

A total of ten male swimmers and five female swimmers will represent the Cardinal and Gray at the NCAA Championship hosted by the University of Minnesota, March 17-20.

 

2009-10 NEWMAC Swimming and Diving Awards 

Men's Swimmer of the Year
Ryan Garr, Clark 

Men's Diver of the Year
Brian Sobel, Springfield 

Men's Rookie of the Year
Nicholas Poehler, Coast Guard 

Men's Swimming Coach of the Year
Dawn Dill, MIT 

Men's Diving Coach of the Year
Peter Avdoulos, Springfield 

Sportsmanship Award
Babson College 

Women's Swimmer of the Year
Kimberly Shadwick, Coast Guard 

Women's Diver of the Year
Eileen Garcia, Clark 

Women's Rookie of the Year
Anna Kokensparger, MIT 

Women's Swimming Coach of the Year
John Taffe, Springfield 

Women's Diving Coach of the Year
Laura O'Tell, Clark

Sportsmanship Award
Babson College