Leonard, Adelfio Sweep GNAC Weekly Awards

WINTHROP, Mass. – After cruising to its seventh dual meet victory in eight contests so far this season, the Regis College women's swimming and diving team swept the Great Northeast Athletic Conference weekly awards, as senior Sarah Leonard (Brockton, Mass.) was named GNAC Athlete of the Week and freshman Cecelia Adelfio (Gloucester, Mass.) received GNAC Rookie of the Week honors, announced Monday afternoon by the league office.

Leonard was one of six seniors honored in a Senior Day presentation before Saturday's meet against Albertus Magnus, and then she posted another stellar performance in the final home competition of her collegiate career. First, she led off the 400 medley relay with a 100 backstroke split of 1:05.13 to help her squad win the event with a total time of 4:29.28.

Individually, Leonard won two events during the day, first posting a season-best time of 26.22 seconds to win the 50 freestyle. She then finished first in the 50 backstroke by almost three full seconds with a time of 30.16 seconds.

Adelfio began the meet by anchoring Regis' B squad in the 400 medley relay. After completing the 50 freestyle in 29.87 seconds, she posted the fastest time in the 500 freestyle, the first time she competed in the event this season, with a mark of 6:03.13.

This is the first time this season either Pride swimmer has earned a GNAC weekly award. Leonard has been named NEISDA Female Swimmer of the Week twice so far this year, while Adelfio is receiving a weekly award of any kind for the first time in her collegiate career.

Regis (7-1 in dual meets) heads to New London, N.H., for a double dual meet against host Colby-Sawyer College and Simmons University Saturday, Jan. 11, starting at 12 p.m.