Athletics

Varsity Sports

Women's Swimming and Diving

Overview

Two-time national champion and three-time all-American Maggie Rosenbaum '14 leads the Hamilton College women's swimming and diving team into 2012-13. Rosenbaum became the first Hamilton women's swimmer to finish first in an event at the NCAA Division III championships when she accomplished the feat in the 100-yard backstroke as a rookie at the 2011 meet. She defended her title in 2012, and added third place in the 200 back and 11th place in the 200 individual medley. Earlier last season, Rosenbaum was selected the NESCAC swimmer of the meet after the 2012 NESCAC women's championship, and made the all-conference team for the 50, 100 and 200 back. She holds team records in five individual events and four relays. The seniors are Joan Burton '13, Maja Feenick '13, Jillian Hallak '13, Diane Paverman '13 and Megan Schlosser '13.

The Continentals compete in the NESCAC championship every February. All-American Nicole Knapp '05 earned all-NESCAC honors in four events and all-American Brittany Achin '05 was recognized in three events at the 2005 championship. The NESCAC championship is one of the fastest Division III meets in the nation prior to the NCAA meet. Five NESCAC teams, including Hamilton, placed in the top 30 at the 2012 NCAA Championships. Other highlights on the 2012-13 schedule include the Hamilton College Invitational in December, dual meets at Wesleyan University and Amherst College in January and a training trip to the Florida Keys during winter break.

The Continentals finished in 14th place in the team point standings at the 2012 NCAA Championships. It was the program's best showing in the event since 2003 when Hamilton also finished 14th. Rosenbaum and Megan Gibbons '12 accounted for all 61 team points. Burton and Gabrielle Goione '12 also qualified for the national meet as part of a 200 medley relay with Rosenbaum and Gibbons. Burton is part of program records in the 200 and 400 medley relays and 400 and 800 free relays, and was honorable mention all-American in 2011. Paverman finished fourth in the 1- and 3-meter springboard diving events at the 2012 NESCAC Championship. McKenna Kelly '15 took sixth place in the 1,000 free at last season's conference meet.

Rosenbaum followed in the footsteps of older sister Whitney '10, who competed for Hamilton at the 2009 and 2010 NCAA Championships. Maggie captured first place in all three backstroke events at the 2012 NESCAC Championship. She set meet records in the 50 and 100 back (55.23 seconds) as well as a NESCAC mark in the 50 (26.02 seconds). Maggie finished second in the 200 back consolation finals to go with her 100 back victory at the 2011 national meet. Her performance at the 2011 NESCAC Championship as a rookie was nothing short of amazing as she won all three backstroke events and made the all-conference team. Maggie set a meet record in the 50 and Williams College pool records in all three events.

Gibbons was the 21st Hamilton women's swimmer or diver to garner all-America honors when she finished seventh in the 100 free in her final collegiate race at the 2012 NCAA Championships. She picked up her fifth honorable mention all-America award earlier in the meet when she ended up second in the consolation final. Gibbons competed on the national stage in 2010, 2011 and 2012. She holds program records in the 50, 100, 200 and 500 free. She made the 2011-12 NESCAC all-conference team for the 50 and 100 free by finishing in the top three, including a win in the 100, at the conference championship. It was the third straight year she made the all-conference team.

Gibbons, Burton, Rosenbaum and Liz Bucceri '11 were responsible for setting team records in the 200 and 400 medley relays and 400 and 800 freestyle relays in 2011. They finished second in the consolation final at the 2011 NCAA Championships, and led the Continentals to 20th place in the team standings at the conclusion of the meet.

The program's first all-American was Cathy Imboden in 1982. Diver Cady Kashner '03 was the 2003 national champion in the 1-meter board. Hamilton has scored points at the NCAA championships 20 times since 1982. The Continentals' best showing at the national championships was 10th place with 119 points in 2000. Both Meghan Steed '00 and Liz Sichol '96 collected all-America honors three out of four years during their collegiate careers.

Hamilton swimmers excel in the classroom as well as in the pool. Lizzy Buhl '12, Molly Ferguson '14, Jeannie Folan '12, Gina Goldberg '14, Marta Pisera '14, Allie Reeder '14 and Rosenbaum made the 2011-12 NESCAC Winter All-Academic team. The College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) recognized the Hamilton women with scholar all-academic team honors in 2012. Liz Rabe '04 and Sarah McDermott '04 were elected to the Epsilon chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, which is the nation's oldest and most prestigious honor society, in 2003-04.