FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Stonehill announces women's swimming as its 22nd varsity sport.
Official Stonehill Press Release
EASTON, Mass. – Stonehill College has announced that it will add women's swimming as its 22nd varsity athletic program with the first season of competition planned for the 2020-21 academic year.
"Stonehill is excited to announce the addition of women's swimming as our newest varsity sport," stated Dean O'Keefe '94, Director of Athletics at the College. "As Stonehill continues its ongoing expansion of impactful academic and co-curricular offerings, we are eager to provide another opportunity for student-athletes to compete at the NCAA Division II level and in the NE10."
A search will begin immediately for the program's first coach, and the team will train at the Peter Asiaf Fieldhouse pool on the campus of Massasoit Community College in Brockton, Massachusetts. The addition of women's swimming marks Stonehill's second expansion of varsity athletics programs over the last three years, joining women's golf in 2016, which is in its third varsity season this fall.
"The additional offering of women's swimming will enhance an already strong athletic program," said Fr. John Denning, CSC, President of Stonehill College, who serves on the NCAA Division II Presidents' Council. "Our student-athletes exemplify the meaning of educating the whole person. This is another opportunity for our student-athletes to pursue their passion through athletics and scholarship."
With the addition of swimming, Stonehill will offer every women's sport sponsored by the Northeast-10 Conference and return the Conference's membership for the program back to nine institutions after the departure of Merrimack College over the summer. The NE10's other women's swimming members are: Adelphi University, Assumption College, Bentley University, Le Moyne College, Pace University, The College of Saint Rose, Saint Michael's College and Southern Connecticut State University. There are currently 89 women's swimming programs competing at the NCAA Division II level, with the NCAA Division II Championships contested in March.
This past year, Assumption College claimed its fourth NE10 Women's Swimming & Diving NE10 Championship in the past six years, edging runner-up Southern Connecticut. The Owls earned back-to-back NE10 Titles in 2017 & 2018. The 2020 NE10 Swimming & Diving Championship will be held Feb. 6-9 at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) in Worcester, Mass.
- Release provided by Stonehill athletic communications
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 student-athletes compete in conference championships, 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.