BOSTON, Mass. – The New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) has announced its weekly award winners and Mount Holyoke College student-athlete Cathleen Pruden has been selected. The junior was named the Swimmer of the Week after posting nine victories last week, including a school record, a pool record, two meet records and a pair of NCAA B Cuts.
A native of Raleigh, N.C., Pruden opened the week with a four victory effort in MHC's tri-meet at Vassar. She won the 1000-freestyle in a time of 10:44.48 and also touched the wall first in the 500-free (5:21.98) and the 200-individual medley (2:13.09). Additionally, Pruden swam the anchor leg of the victorious 200-free relay, which posted a time of 1:45.75.
Pruden closed out the week with a monumental performance at the 2015 Seven Sisters Championships, beginning with a victory in the 200-free relay (1:42.32). She then won the 200-IM in a time of 2:10.58, just missing her own school record mark. Pruden went on to claim victory in her signature event, the 400-IM, recording a mark of 4:25.39. The time, which was an NCAA B Cut, not only shattered her own existing Seven Sisters record, but also eclipsed the MHC pool record and was the second fastest time this season in Division III.
In addition, Pruden won the 1650-free with a time of 17:41.32, narrowly missing her meet record from last season. She also won the 200-breaststroke with a time of 2:24.20, a mark that was a school and meet record, as well as an NCAA B Cut. Pruden also helped the 800-free and 400-free relay teams to second at the meet, which saw the Lyons place second overall in the field of five.
This season, Pruden has won 27 events, notching at least two victories in every meet she has competed. Twenty-two of the 27 wins this season have been individual. In addition to re-setting multiple school records – of which she currently holds 14 – Pruden has also achieved four NCAA B Cuts in two events.
Pruden, who is a former standout at the Ravenscroft School, has now garnered Swimmer of the Week honors by the NEWMAC twice this season. She was previously honored on November 11th after posting five individual wins and a pair of relay victories in two meets.
Mount Holyoke (5-2 dual meet) is back in action on Saturday when it travels east for a dual meet at Wellesley beginning at 1pm.
