Kaitlyn Kupiec
@kaitlynkupiec
Splashing into action on Jan. 27, the Springfield College women’s swim and dive team secured victories in both relay events in the Art Linkletter Natatorium against New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) rivals Wellesley College and Smith College. Having been victorious in six consecutive dual meets, Springfield now holds a season record of 7-5.
Behind the scenes is the dynamic duo of juniors Kay Shen and Nina Lamb, who emerged as key contributors for the Pride this season. It’s not just about wins; it’s about the energy and passion the two inject into every meet.
When Shen was nine years old, she dove into competitive swimming in her hometown of Hong Kong.
“My mom signed me up for a lot of sports and extracurricular activities when I was young,” said Shen. “Swimming and track were the only two sports I was good at (since I have bad coordination, according to my gymnastics coach), and hurting my ankle while training long jump in sixth-grade set me up for the journey to be a swimmer.”
During Saturday’s meet, Shen placed first in the 100-free and posted a second place finish in the 200-free. Shen also contributed to her team’s first place finishes in the 200-medley relay and the 400-free relay.
“We are an encouraging team with high energy,” said Shen. “We are always on the same page, and we know what we want to achieve in the championship meet in four weeks.”
After Shen arrived at college from a different country, everything was foreign. The supportive atmosphere of her team, which resembles a family, played a crucial role in helping her adapt to the new environment away from home.
One of Shen’s best memories from being on the team is their training trip. For midseason intercession, the women’s and men’s teams travel to Fort Lauderdale, Fla. for a training trip.
“The training trip really just gets us ready for the season,” said Shen. “And the half-way point of the season is always a test for many swimmers since everything after that determines how we will perform in the end-of-season meet.”
At last weekend’s meet on Jan. 20 against Union College and Wesleyan University, Shen individually placed first in the 200-free, the 50-free and the 100-free.
In March 2023, Shen qualified for the NCAA Division III Nationals in the 200-free relay and the 50-free. After qualifying in the 50-free with a time of 23.18, which was fifth fastest, Shen posted a 23.81 as she finished 35th nationally in the event.
“I don’t think I would be able to go through those harsh practices without the support of the team and, of course, our coaches,” said Shen. “Seeing everybody put effort into training motivates me to work harder and push myself more every time.”
Along with Shen, Carolyn Blenk and Erin Kelaher, Lamb also contributed to the Pride’s win in the 200-medley relay on Saturday. She won the 200-IM while also finishing as the runner-up in the 200-breast and the 100-breast.
Lamb, a native of Killingworth, Conn., began swimming competitively when she was in high school and later decided she wanted to continue in college.
“My biggest accomplishment so far was definitely breaking a school record last year at NEWMAC’s in the 200-medley relay with Blenk, Shen and Mikaili Charlemagne,” said Lamb. “We got an NCAA B cut and were 22nd, so we just missed that, but knowing we could be close was what was important to us.”
Getting an NCAA cut is where the 20 fastest swimmers in each individual event are selected. Then, the top 20 relays in each relay event are added to the meet.
Lamb also got an NCAA B cut individually for breaststroke and missed it by one spot, but for her, that was a “big accomplishment.”
Both Shen and Lamb have been vital components of the relay teams.
On Jan. 16, the women’s swimming program achieved recognition when the 200-medley relay team comprising Blenk, Lamb, Kelaher and Shen was honored as the NEWMAC Women’s Relay of the Week. Following this success, on Jan. 22, the 200-free relay squad, featuring Shen, Kelaher, Emma Baumhauer and Natalie Chamberlin earned the title of NEWMAC Relay Team of the Week.
“I’m looking forward to NEWMAC’s,” said Lamb. “We’ve been doing well all season, and lots of people have been getting their best times or close to their best times, so knowing that we’re going to go even faster at championships is something we’re definitely looking forward to.”
As the excitement continues to build, this Saturday, Feb. 3, at 2:00 p.m., Springfield looks to continue their success in Hartford, Conn., at Trinity College for a dual meet with the Bantams.
Photo courtesy of Springfield College Athletics