2020 GNAC SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS PREVIEW
After a vote by the league's coaches, the Simmons women and Norwich men have been chosen as the favorites at this weekend's three-day GNAC meet at Wellesley
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
GNAC RECORDS: WOMEN | MEN
2019 RESULTS: WOMEN | MEN
2020 SESSION TIMELINE
2019-20 GNAC TOP TIMES
Three-day meet set for
Fri-Sat-Sun in Wellesley, Mass.
WINTHROP, Mass. – This weekend's 2020 Great Northeast Athletic Conference Swimming & Diving Championships will mark the first time the event has not been hosted at Simmons University in Boston, as the GNAC gets set for its three-day meet (Jan. 31-Feb. 2), in conjunction with Charles River Aquatics, at the brand new, state-of-the-art Boston Sports Institute (BSI) Wellesley Sports Center in Wellesley, Mass.
The event kicks off on Friday evening at 6:00 PM with the 200 free relay, the 1650 free and 200 medley relay. Simultaneously, the 3-meter diving will take place at Simmons' Holmes Sports Natatorium back in Boston due to board availability. The 1-meter diving is scheduled to take place at Wellesley on Saturday afternoon.
Saturday's prelims from Wellesley will get underway at 10:30 AM, followed by 1-meter at approximately 1:30 PM, and the finals commencing at 6:00 PM.
On Sunday's Day 3, prelims start at 9:30 AM, with finals action beginning at 4:00 PM on Super Bowl Sunday.
At Wellesley, the 13-lane competition pool (the 2012 Olympic Trials Pool) measures 107 x 75 feet with a depth of 4-12.5 feet. It has a bulkhead (creating 10 lanes of 25 yards each with 3 perpendicular 25 yard lanes), two 1m diving boards and 10 starting blocks. The mezzanine level of the natatorium features spectator seating for approximately 300 overlooking the large pool.
Spearheaded by Simmons Director of Athletics Communications and championship meet manager Alan Wickström, the 2020 Championships will be streamed at thegnac.tv. If you cannot attend the event in Wellesley, be sure to download thegnac.tv app on your Roku, Amazon Fire or Apple TV by searching 'thegnac'. For more information, read up on our custom digital streaming apps.
Also on site at Wellesley, GNAC Championship t-shirts will be available for purchase by debit or credit card. The facility also has food options for purchase.
In our annual championship poll, longtime GNAC and regional powerhouse Simmons swept all nine first-place votes to take the top spot in the women's rankings, as the Sharks seek their 16th consecutive conference crown this weekend under head coach Mindy Williams.
Meanwhile for the men, Norwich University led the way in the poll with six of a possible seven first-place votes. The reigning champion Cadets have won each of the last nine GNAC Men's Invitationals/Championships dating back to 2011.
In the women's poll, Regis finished second with 71 points, while the Pride were also runners-up in the men's poll with 40 points and the remaining first-place tally. For the complete results, please see below.
2020 GNAC Women's Championship Poll
1. Simmons (9) - 81
2. Regis - 71
3. Colby-Sawyer - 53
4. Norwich - 50
5. Husson - 47
6. St. Joseph (CT) - 43
7. Elms - 27
8. Saint Joseph's (ME) - 23
9. Albertus Magnus - 10
2020 GNAC Men's Championship Poll
1. Norwich (6) - 48
2. Regis (1) - 40
3. Husson - 35
4. Colby-Sawyer - 24
5. St. Joseph (CT) - 19
6. Elms - 17
7. Saint Joseph's (ME) - 13
The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is an NCAA Division III association made up of 13 member institutions and over 3,000 student-athletes across the New England region. Founded in 1995, the GNAC annually sponsors and administers 20 championships, while balancing academic integrity, athletic opportunity and community involvement in an effort to enhance the student-athlete experience.
– #TheGNAC –