MANSFIELD, Mass. – The Northeast 10 announced its Swimming & Diving major award winners on Thursday afternoon, with Bentley and Southern Connecticut combining to win nine of the ten awards.
SCSU's Leo LaPorte repeated as the Men's Swimmer of the Year, becoming the second Owl to win the award multiple times. LaPorte was named the Most Outstanding Swimmer at the NE10 Championships after winning the 100 yard (48.27) and 200 yard (1:48.81) butterfly events in NE10 record time, along with capturing gold in the 200 and 400 yard medley relays. He finished 16th in the 100 fly prelims at the NCAA DII Championships and was seeded eighth going into the 200 fly prelims before the meet was canceled.
The Owls' Avery Fornaciari claimed the Women's Swimmer of the Year honors, becoming the third SCSU swimmer in the past five years to win the award. She had a senior year to remember as she qualified for the NCAA Championships in the 200 yard butterfly for the first time in her career. At the NE10 Championships, Fornaciari won the 100 fly (55.91) and 200 fly (2:03.31) events, while also earning claiming gold in the 500 free (4:59.44), 200 medley and 400 medley relays.
Bentley's Anthony Vizental claimed Men's Rookie of the Year honors after earning Rookie of the Week honors four times during the season. At the NE10 Championships, he won the 400 yard individual medley (4:02.04) while taking second in the 200 yard individual medley (1:52.13) and 200 yard butterfly (1:51.82). Vizental also swam the opening leg of Bentley's NE10 Champion 800 Free Relay. He is the third Bentley freshman in the last four years to earn this award.
Assumption's Erin Tague won the Women's Rookie of the Year honors, becoming the sixth Greyhound in the last eight years to secure the honor. She claimed Rookie of the Week honors three times during the season. At the NE10 Championships she won the 1000 yard freestyle (10:22.82) in a new NE10 record time. She also placed fourth in both the 500 free (5:05.87) and 200 free (1:54.41). She was a part of the 400 free relay which set a new NE10 record at the Championships.
Andrew Buehler earned Men's Diver of the Year honors for SCSU after a dominant freshman campaign. He swept both the 1-meter and 3-meter events at the NE10 Championships, earning 498 and 528 points respectively. He also placed 10th in the 1-meter diving event at the NCAA Championships and qualified for the 3-meter, but wasn't able to compete.
Bentley's Mary Huminski secured Women's Diver of the Year recognition by winning both the 1-meter and 3-meter diving events at the NE10 Championships. She was a four-time Diver of the Week honoree and at the NE10 Championships posted a score of 432.70 in the 1-meter and 387.65 in the 3-meter.
Mary Kay Samko of Bentley claimed Men's Coach of the Year honors for the fourth time in her career and third in the last four seasons after leading her charges to the NE10 Championship for the second straight season. The Owls' Tim Quill earned the honor on the women's side, his 12th selection and third in the past five seasons as Southern won its 13th NE10 Women's Title.
SCSU's Stephen Etienne won Diving Coach of the Year honors on the men's side for the second time in his career after helping Buehler win both diving events at the NE10 Championships. Rick Danehy of Bentley secured Women's Diving Coach of the Year honors for the sixth time in his career and second straight season. He coached his divers to 1-2 finishes in both diving events and a third finishing fifth.
NE10 Swimmer of the Year
Men: Leo LaPorte, Southern Conn.
Women: Avery Fornaciari, Southern Conn.
NE10 Rookie of the Year
Men: Anthony Vizental, Bentley
Women: Erin Tague, Assumption
NE10 Diver of the Year
Men: Andrew Buehler, Southern Conn.
Women: Mary Huminski, Bentley
NE10 Swimming Coach of the Year
Men: Mary Kay Samko, Bentley
Women: Tim Quill, Southern Conn.
NE10 Diving Coach of the Year
Men: Stephen Etienne, Southern Conn.
Women: Rick Danehy, Bentley
ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 14 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.
Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.
