2004-2005 Varsity Girls' Swimming and Diving

Season Summary

Girls Varsity Swimming ended the season with 3 wins, 5 losses and 1 tie, placing 4th in Division II and 11th overall at Western New England’s, hosted by Hotchkiss this year. The team also placed 15th in New England at the NEPSSA Championships the following week at Exeter. Much of this success was due to strong performances by seniors. Laura Jones placed 13th in New England in the 50 free and 6th in Western New England. Carly Traub swam well in the 500 freestyle, earning 16th place, as did Alex Jenkins ’06 with another 16th place finish in the 200 freestyle. The team would not have reached the heights they did were it not for the number one diver in New England, Drew Mulvey ’05. Drew set her personal record for 11 dives and broke her previous Kent School record with a score of 419.75 at Exeter this year.

The season highlight was a tie at Miss Porter’s with the team tallying 93 points. Every swimmer put forth her all and earned her best times. Kent’s swimmers had lost to a powerful Miss Porter’s team (currently 8th in New England) the past few years and this year’s tie served as a benchmark of the team’s improvement. The Lions graduated 6 seniors: Captain Joanna Glass, Carly Traub, Laura Jones, Liz McErlean, Ashley Pardoe and diver Drew Mulvey, and look to rising seniors: Vashti Chandler, Isabel Smith, Natalie Raymunt and Alex Jenkins to fill their shoes.

This year’s diving season was exciting, culminating in a dramatic finish at the New England meet held at Phillips Exeter Academy the first weekend in March. After sweeping all dual meets in the regular season, Drew Mulvey broke a Hotchkiss pool record while winning the Western New England Diving Championships for the second year in a row. She followed this performance by winning the New England Diving Championship with a score of 419.75 her first time breaking 400), possibly a pool record, and certainly a diving milestone. This meet was very competitive, and eventful. In an earlier diving round, a competitor hit the board, alarming the entire natatorium. Amidst uncertainty, Mulvey maintained poise, confidence, and stayed focused. Last year’s New England Diving Champion was a veteran diver from Moses Brown. Drew Mulvey consistently went dive for dive against this powerful competitor. The tension in the pool was electric as Mulvey entered the eleventh and final round of the competition. Everyone became silent, and thousands of eyes focused on Drew. Amazingly, she took a deep breath, ventured forward, and threw a phenomenal two and one-half somersault that ripped the surface, earning a multitude of seven’s and eights. She excitedly screamed with a clenched fist, and at that very moment, all present knew that had witnessed a clutch performance of the New England Champion.

A Word from the Swimming Coach: Margaret Magee

Kent's experienced coaching staff is committed to building a swimming and diving program emphasizing academic excellence, dedication, desire, and a sense of accomplishment. Whether you are relatively new to the sport, or an accomplished athlete, fundamentals as well as advanced competitive skills are taught in a positive atmosphere.

Kent maintains a tradition of excellence in athletics. By committing to Kent, be assured that the lessons learned and friendships made in and out of the swimming pool will be treasured and carried with you throughout life.

I have been teaching and coaching swimming at Kent since 2002. The boys and girls were recently split into separate teams, providing more space and the opportunity for more individual attention for each swimmer. I encourage you to contact me if you have any questions about Kent School or the swimming/diving program. I look forward to hearing from you. You can reach me at mageem@kent-school.edu or (860) 927-6099.

Margaret E. G. Magee

Girls' Varsity Swimming Coach