DeGrazia Named GNAC Swimmer of the Year
BOSTON, Mass. – Elms College junior women's swimmer Devon DeGrazia (Westport, Mass.) was named the 2012-13 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Swimmer of the Year as recently announced by the organization.
DeGrazia was named the GNAC Rookie of the Year in 2010-11 and was the GNAC Swimmer of the Year following the 2011-12 campaign. Behind DeGrazia's efforts the Blazers finished third out of seven teams at the two-day GNAC Championship and 15th out of the 21-team field in the season-ending New England Intercollegiate Swimming and Diving Association (NEISDA) Championships.
During the two-day GNAC Championship in December, DeGrazia set a new pool and GNAC record in the 1650-yard freestyle with a time of 18:56.14, and added a third place finish in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 57.08. She also won the 500-yard freestyle (5:32.67), placed second in the 200-yard freestyle (2:01.41) and led the team of seniors Tessa Dudunake (Northampton, Mass.), Emalee Furtek (Ludlow, Mass.) and Chalis Bird (Windsor, Mass.) that clocked a winning time of 4:27.72 in the 400-yard medley relay.
At the season-ending NEISDA Championships, DeGrazia lowered her time in the 500-yard freestyle to 5:21.61 and placed sixth in the event on day one, powered to a time of 11:05.12 in the 1000-yard freestyle and seventh place honors on day two, and set a new school mark in the 1650-yard freestyle with a time of 18:39.57 on day three of the championship event.
Swimmer of the Year
Devon DeGrazia, Elms College
Rookie of the Year
Lauren Rabideau, Saint Joseph's College (Maine)
Coach of the Year
Mindy Williams, Simmons College
Sportsmanship Team
Jillian Francis, Elms
Megan Call, Husson
Victoria Sabel, Norwich
Haley Bowen, Regis
Suki Hood, University of Saint Joseph (Conn.)
Christine Cote, Saint Joseph's College (Maine)
Kristen Vickey, Simmons College
