WESTON, Mass. – Seniors Sarah Leonard (Brockton, Mass.) and Elisabeth McQuaid (Marlborough, Mass.) have been named New England Intercollegiate Swimming and Diving Association (NEISDA) Female Swimmer and Female Diver of the Week, respectively, after their performances last Saturday at Colby-Sawyer College.
Leonard was responsible at least in part for three of Regis' four overall event victories in Saturday's double-dual meet in New London, N.H., also involving Simmons University. First, she led off the 200 medley relay with a 50 backstroke split of 29.11 seconds, helping the Pride win the event by 2.8 seconds in a total time of 1:58.39.
Leonard then won two events individually, touching the wall first in the 50 backstroke with a season-best time of 28.66 seconds, almost two full seconds faster than her nearest competitor. After a third-place finish in the 50 freestyle in 26.42 seconds, she cruised to a 2.84-second victory in the 100 backstroke with a mark of 1:03.62.
McQuaid continues to get ready for the upcoming championship meets that will conclude her collegiate career. Saturday, she finished second in the one-meter diving event with a six-dive score of 207.30, less than 10 points behind the event winner and over 20 points in front of the third-place finisher.
Leonard has now been named NEISDA Female Swimmer of the Week three times this season, as she previously received the weekly honor Oct. 18 and Dec. 11. McQuaid continues to collect NEISDA weekly awards, as this is her fifth Female Diver of the Week honor of the season, including four within the past five weekly reports.
Regis College will close the regular season Saturday, Jan. 18, at Elms College in a dual meet starting at 10 a.m. The Pride will then prepare for the GNAC Championships Jan. 31-Feb. 2 and the NEISDA Championships Feb. 13-16.