Teams: Women's Swimming & Diving: Team Overview

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In her 28th season as coach of the Tufts University women's swimming and diving program, Nancy Bigelow guides one of the most successful teams in New England. The Jumbos are members of the competitive New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) and annually qualify swimmers and divers for the NCAA championship meet.

Last season, Tufts finished in third place out of 11 teams at the conference championship meet. The finish was the best in the nine-year history of the NESCAC meet for Coach Bigelow's squad. The Jumbos rewrote the program's record book at the conference meet, as new marks were established in 11 events. Tufts competitors also won one conference title, posted five runner-up performances and swam 10 NCAA qualifying times.

Diver Lindsay Gardel placed fifth in the 1-meter competition at the 2009 NCAA Division 3 Swimming & Diving Championships. A three-year national qualifier, Gardel now has five top 16 finishes at NCAA Championship diving events. Also last year, senior tri-captain Katie Swett earned an honorable mention All-American performance in the 400 individual medley. At the 2008 NCAA's, Tufts diver Kendall Swett won the NCAA Division III championships on the 1- and 3-meter boards.

The Tufts team finished with an 8-1 record last season, running its mark in dual meets to 45-14 over the last seven seasons. The Tufts team's success a year ago added to its strong history. The Jumbos have compiled an impressive 188-67-2 dual meet record since Bigelow took control of the program in 1982. Thirty-eight competitors have posted All-American performances at NCAA Championship meets and 15 individuals have won 51 New England or NESCAC championships during her tenure. The Jumbos have captured three New England team titles.

Coach Bigelow received the Heights Award from the Massachusetts State Lottery and Boston College Athletics in 2008. The award recognizes Massachusetts residents who have made significant contributions to women's athletics. Bigelow has worked in women's athletics for 34 years as a head coach, official and board member. A three-time New England Coach of the Year recipient, she was named a Master and Distinguished Coach by the College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) in 2006. Bigelow is currently on the NCAA swimming and diving rules committee and is a certified college swimming official. She is a member of the CSCAA.

The NESCAC is the most competitive small college conference in the country athletically and academically. At the 2009 NCAA Championship meet, five NESCAC teams finished among the top 30 in the nation. NESCAC is a group of highly selective liberal arts colleges and universities that share an academics-first philosophy for intercollegiate athletics. The Tufts team is annually recognized nationally for its academic accomplishments as well. In 2008-09, their 3.41 cumulative grade point average was among the top 30 schools in the CSCAA's ranking of Division III teams. Two team members earned CSCAA Individual Scholar All-American honors for 2008-09. In 2008, Kendall Swett was the conference's nomination for the NCAA Sportsmanship Award for having demonstrated good sportsmanship along with good citizenship outside of sports competition.

Located right outside of Boston, Tufts offers a well-rounded collegiate experience to student-athletes. Within its picturesque small-college campus, Tufts is a major university with "an unprecedented diversity of programs, exceptional faculty and staff, and bright and talented students," according to President Lawrence S. Bacow. The Athletics Department sponsors a varsity program of 28 sports that is among the most competitive in the NCAA's Division III. Tufts finished 10th in the 2009 Learfield Sports Directors' Cup, which awards points based on NCAA performances. The University's proximity to a world-class city renowned for its academic institutions is also a major draw.

Every January the team takes a training trip to a tropical location. Aruba, Barbados and Hawaii have been recent destinations. The team's 2005 trip became a grand humanitarian effort, as Tufts joined with several other teams to deliver nearly 5,000 pounds of supplies to impoverished people in the Dominican Republic. Tufts alumni Ben and Judy Sands organized the gesture. The Jumbos also annually participate in Swim Across America, which raises money for cancer research.

Veteran diving coach Brad Snodgrass was the NCAA Division III Diving Coach of the Year last winter. Now in his 22nd season coaching with Tufts, he has developed one of the area's strongest programs. His success as a diving coach includes two NCAA national champions and several All-Americans. A New England High School champion who competed collegiately at Maine and Columbia, Snodgrass is also active in United States Diving, recently serving as the regional technical director, registrar and treasurer for New England.