Kristen Frost Wins Four National Titles at the 2008 NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships

Posted: Jan 26, 2021

Kristen Frost’s incredible showing at the 2008 NCAA Division II National Championships represents arguably the most dominant performance by any NE10 athlete on the national stage. Frost became the first, and to date, the only student-athlete in SCSU or NE10 history to win four individual national championships in the same season, and the 12th woman to do it in NCAA Division II swimming & diving history.

"I am truly honored to be recognized by the NE10 as one of the 40 iconic moments in NE10 history,” Frost said. “Winning four NCAA Championships in 2008 was something I will cherish for the rest of my life. When I look back now, 13 years later, it is my greatest accomplishment that I am most proud to share with my kids."

Frost enjoyed a remarkable 2007-08 season in the pool for the Owls. At the 2008 NCAA Championships, she won four national championships in as many days and set three NCAA Division II records in the process. Of the three records she broke, one was her own – in the 1,000-yard freestyle – as she finished at 9:50.49 and shattered her original record by over three seconds.

"That was a weekend I'll never forget!” Frost said. “It was the culmination of years of training, dedication and hard work. None of it would have been possible without Coach Tim Quill and the rest of the SCSU swim team.”

In addition to setting the NCAA Division II record in the 1,000-yard freestyle, Frost also won the 200-yard freestyle the next day and then went on to break two more national records on March 14 and 15. On March 14, Frost beat the 500-yard freestyle record by less than two seconds with a time of 4:45.69. The following day, she crushed an 11-year-old national record in the 1650-yard freestyle by nearly 11 seconds with a time of 16:17.66. It is a time which still stands as an NCAA record in 2021 by more than three seconds.

“My goals for that year were to win the four NCAA Individual Championships and be named NCAA Division II Swimmer of the Year and together Tim Quill and I did that," Frost said.

For her efforts, Frost was named the NCAA Division II Collegiate Woman Swimmer of the Year after earning Most Outstanding Swimmer at the NCAA Championships. The 2008 Northeast-10 Conference Swimmer of the Year, Frost also earned Most Outstanding Performer honors at the league championships after finishing first in the 200-yard freestyle, 100-yard butterfly, 500-yard freestyle and 200-yard individual medley. Frost earned All-American honors that season in the 200 free, 500 free, 1,000 free, 1,650 free and 800 freestyle relay.

“Kristen’s ferocious competitive approach, not only towards racing, but also daily practice is what I remember most about her,” head coach Tim Quill said. “Even to this day, some of the things she did in practice is still unmatched by either program at SCSU. While our working relationship was a potpourri of mixed emotions, the lifelong lessons that the sport provides has made us both better. To have worked with her and to have witnessed what she did at the 2008 NCAA Championships was truly an honor.”

Finally, the sophomore was also named the Doc McInerney Female Athlete of the Year, as selected by the Connecticut Sports Writers’ Alliance (CSWA).

Frost currently resides in Northern California with her husband and two children. The consummate athlete, Frost is currently training for an Ironman competition.

Kristen Frost Links of Note:

ABOUT THE NE10
Beginning its 40th anniversary season, 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.