It was a historic season for the UVM Women’s Swimming and Diving Team. The team recorded its first winning season since 1992 and continued the trend of increasing its winning percentage every year over the last five years. At 9-7 the team finished with the most wins since 1982 and the third most in team history.

This season’s success is the latest chapter in the swim team’s resurgence. Finishing at 0-12 for the 2000-2001 season the Catamounts were winless in their last three seasons and only 3-57 over the previous 6 years. The 0-12 season was Gerry Cournoyer’s first season as head coach for the team, “I knew the first season was going to be a tough year, it was discouraging at times but I realized this program had a lot of potential and that it would take a few years to develop,” said Cournoyer.

And develop it did.

After the winless season, the team made a statement by winning its first two meets of the season. Change was in the air. The team continued to get better, reaching the .500 mark (8-8) by the 2003-2004 season and repeating that feat the next season before achieving this season’s wining record.

While the talent on the team is undeniable, a large part of the turn-around can be attributed to Cournoyer. Originally from Cumberland, Rhode Island, Cournoyer is accustomed to turning collegiate programs around. The University of Vermont is his third job as a collegiate swim coach, previously coaching at Lycoming College in Williamsport, PA and Bridgewater State College in Massachusetts. At both of these schools Cournoyer turned the programs into elite teams, achieving an undefeated season at Bridgewater and bringing Lycoming its first conference title. With this season’s success it certainly looks like he has done it again.

The team’s achievements can also be credited to the depth of talent on the roster. This season the team qualified for 11 events for the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Swimming and Diving Championships (February 16-19). This is a drastic change from 2004-2005 when they sent only four swimmers.

One reason for the improvement is the increased focus on recruiting. This season the freshmen made an incredible impact on the team consistently winning events to assist in meet victories. Cournoyer calls this year “definitely the best freshmen class that we have brought in during my six seasons.”

Three freshmen, Rachel Kent (Mystic, Conn.), Ashley Gillespie (Ithaca, N.Y.) and Lauren Honrath (Monroe, Conn.), have qualified for seven individual events and two relays in the ECAC Championships between them. Accompanying them to the Championships are captains Monica Jaferian (Pittsford, NY) and Helen Dembinski (Hamden, CT) both who had quite impressive seasons.

With the hard-earned progress over the last several seasons and the team’s very impressive academic record (the team sports a 3.4 average GPA), the team’s future looks extremely bright.

With an impressive season behind them, it’s no doubt that Cournoyer and his team will only be looking to improve next season.