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January 14. 2013 9:21PM
Jennifer French of Nashua, a Keene State College swimmer, is December's Union Leader Athlete of the Month. (COURTESY)
On the first day of December, Keene State College swimmer Jennifer French had a breakout performance at the Little East Conference swimming and diving championships. A freshman from Nashua, French won all three races in which she was entered - the 100-yard freestyle, the 500-yard freestyle and the 1,000-yard freestyle - to lead the Owls to victory with a meet-record 630 points.
With her prowess in the pool, French earned the December Athlete of the Month award as voted on by the New Hampshire Union Leader Board of Judges.
French will be honored, along with the 11 previous 2012 Athletes of the Month and other award winners, on Feb. 10 at the Union Leader's annual sports banquet, The Leaders: A Celebration of New Hampshire Sports Champions. The winners of the male and female Red Rolfe Athlete of the Year awards, chosen from the Athletes of the Month, will be announced at the banquet.
French, 18, edged John Wickey of Manchester (Central), a Babson College basketball standout, and Pembroke Academy cager Pat Welch for December honors. Others receiving votes included basketball players Dina Pitsas of Milford High and Zobel Iradukunda of Manchester Memorial, young cross-country runner Caroline Fischer of Merrimack and Manchester Memorial hockey player Brendan Sullivan.
A former Southern New Hampshire Fins club swimmer who was part of Nashua North High School's 2011 NHIAA Division I girls state championship swimming and diving squad, French started her college career with two 1,000-yard freestyle victories - one at the New England Invitational in Worcester, Mass., on Nov. 3 and the other at a home meet against Tufts University on Nov. 18. Still, she surpassed her expectations at the Little East Championships in North Dartmouth, Mass., where Keene State won 13 of 16 races en route to its seventh consecutive conference crown and 10th overall. The Owls defeated runner-up Eastern Connecticut State by a whopping 304 points.
"I knew we were expected to win, but I didn't think it would be by that much," French said. "It was nice having three (victories) to go toward that."
French won the 1,000-yard freestyle in 10:55.23 before winning the 100-yard freestyle in 54.56 and 500-yard freestyle in 5:18.79.
A double major in special education and psychology, French is a versatile freestyler who performs well at various distances, as her Little East performance attested.
"She's a very aggressive distance swimmer, and she can swim down several events," said Keene State coach Jack Fabian. "She has a lot of endurance, and some natural speed that goes along with that endurance."
Buoyed by its Little East victory, Keene State improved to 15th in the College Swimming Coaches Association of America Division III ranking that was released on Dec. 13. Although French is not among the Owl swimmers expected to qualify for the NCAA Division III Championships in March, qualifying and placing at the nationals is one of her primary goals, she said.
"We're hoping she'll qualify in the future," Fabian said. "She definitely has the potential to."
mcullity@unionleader.com
PREVIOUS 2012 ATHLETES OF THE MONTH
January: Drew Ledwith, Keene, swimming
February: Zach Bridson, Sandown, wrestling
March: Curtis Arsenault, Berlin, basketball
April: Peter Williamson, Hanover, golf
May: Morgan Andrews, Milford, soccer
June: Hillary Holmes, Exeter, track and field
July: Lauren Thibodeau, Hampstead, golf
August: Sarah Groff, Hanover, triathlon
September: Victoria Arlen, Exeter, swimming
October: Chelso Barrett, Keene, golf
November: Casey DeSmith, Rochester, hockey
OTHER 2012 AWARD WINNERS TO BE HONORED AT THE LEADERS
Carl Lundholm Memorial
(for dedication to youth in athletics)
Tom Walton, Hopkinton
John R. Clark Officials
Roland Bourque, New Hampton
Fran Maineri, New Hampton
Rick Forge, Moultonborough
Harry Irwin, Somersworth
Mike Gould, Nashua
Walter A. Smith Coaches
Charlie Beach, Keene
Deb Beach, Keene
Al Halpern, Goffstown
Tony Johnson, formerly of Manchester
Stan Lyford, North Hampton
NHIAA Athletes and Coaches of the Year
WINTER
Boys' basketball
Player: Dimitri Floras, Merrimack
Coach: David Wheeler, Manchester Central
Girls' basketball
Player: Jane White, Souhegan
Coach: John Fagula, Londonderry
Boys' ice hockey
Player: Zach Sanford, Pinkerton
Coach: Mark Putney, Manchester Memorial
Girls' ice hockey
Player: Maddie Dewhirst, Hanover
Coach: Stacy Boudrias, Concord
Boys' indoor track and field
Athlete: Jonathan Vinnenberg, Bow
Coach: Ian French, Pinkerton
Girls' indoor track and field
Athlete: Hillary Holmes, Exeter
Coach: Emily Blahnik, Bedford
Boys' swimming and diving
Athlete: David Pfeifer, Bishop Guertin
Coach: Karla Black, Bishop Guertin
Girls' swimming and diving
Athlete: Emily Wadlinger, Lebanon
Coach: Karla Black, Bishop Guertin
Wrestling
Athlete: Zach Bridson, Timberlane
Coach: Barry Chooljian, Timberlane
SPRING
Baseball
Player: Graham McIntire, Concord
Coach: Marc Schoff, St. Thomas Aquinas
Boys' lacrosse
Player: Bob Fahey, Bishop Guertin
Coach: Brian O'Reilly, Pinkerton
Girls' lacrosse
Player: Jane Symmes, Concord
Coach: Beth Rogers, Merrimack
Softball
Player: Taylor Carbone, Alvirne
Coach: Dennis Bruce, Winnacunnet
Boys' tennis
Player: Mark Hosang, Bedford
Coach: Shawna Morley, Bedford
Girls' tennis
Player: Julia Keenan, St. Thomas Aquinas
Coach: Debbie Lloyd, Bishop Guertin
Boys' outdoor track and field
Athlete: Romario Bailey, Stevens
Coach: Walter Roberts, Pinkerton
Girls' outdoor track and field
Athlete: Betsy Garnick, Bishop Guertin
Coach: Jarod Mills, White Mountains
FALL
Boys' cross country
Athlete: Jeremy Brassard, Coe-Brown
Coach: Jeff Wilson, Souhegan
Girls' cross country
Athlete: Elizabeth Conway, Manch. Central
Coach: Tim Cox, Coe-Brown
Field hockey
Player: Lindsey Nerbonne, Bow
Coach: Amanda Ward, Windham
Football
Player: Tyler Grant, Exeter
Coach: Chuck Lenahan, Plymouth
Boys' soccer
Player: Erik Martel, Bedford
Coach: Mike Hachey, Windham
Girls' soccer
Player: Morgan Andrews, Milford
Coach: Michelle Winning, Bedford
Volleyball
Player: Molly Wotton, Dover
Coach: John Roemer, Salem
Special Recognition
(for commitment to youth)
Dan Duval*, Manchester
*Presented posthumously
December Athlete of the Month making quite a splash
Jennifer French of Nashua, a Keene State College swimmer, is December's Union Leader Athlete of the Month. (COURTESY)
With her prowess in the pool, French earned the December Athlete of the Month award as voted on by the New Hampshire Union Leader Board of Judges.
French will be honored, along with the 11 previous 2012 Athletes of the Month and other award winners, on Feb. 10 at the Union Leader's annual sports banquet, The Leaders: A Celebration of New Hampshire Sports Champions. The winners of the male and female Red Rolfe Athlete of the Year awards, chosen from the Athletes of the Month, will be announced at the banquet.
French, 18, edged John Wickey of Manchester (Central), a Babson College basketball standout, and Pembroke Academy cager Pat Welch for December honors. Others receiving votes included basketball players Dina Pitsas of Milford High and Zobel Iradukunda of Manchester Memorial, young cross-country runner Caroline Fischer of Merrimack and Manchester Memorial hockey player Brendan Sullivan.
A former Southern New Hampshire Fins club swimmer who was part of Nashua North High School's 2011 NHIAA Division I girls state championship swimming and diving squad, French started her college career with two 1,000-yard freestyle victories - one at the New England Invitational in Worcester, Mass., on Nov. 3 and the other at a home meet against Tufts University on Nov. 18. Still, she surpassed her expectations at the Little East Championships in North Dartmouth, Mass., where Keene State won 13 of 16 races en route to its seventh consecutive conference crown and 10th overall. The Owls defeated runner-up Eastern Connecticut State by a whopping 304 points.
"I knew we were expected to win, but I didn't think it would be by that much," French said. "It was nice having three (victories) to go toward that."
French won the 1,000-yard freestyle in 10:55.23 before winning the 100-yard freestyle in 54.56 and 500-yard freestyle in 5:18.79.
A double major in special education and psychology, French is a versatile freestyler who performs well at various distances, as her Little East performance attested.
"She's a very aggressive distance swimmer, and she can swim down several events," said Keene State coach Jack Fabian. "She has a lot of endurance, and some natural speed that goes along with that endurance."
Buoyed by its Little East victory, Keene State improved to 15th in the College Swimming Coaches Association of America Division III ranking that was released on Dec. 13. Although French is not among the Owl swimmers expected to qualify for the NCAA Division III Championships in March, qualifying and placing at the nationals is one of her primary goals, she said.
"We're hoping she'll qualify in the future," Fabian said. "She definitely has the potential to."
mcullity@unionleader.com
PREVIOUS 2012 ATHLETES OF THE MONTH
January: Drew Ledwith, Keene, swimming
February: Zach Bridson, Sandown, wrestling
March: Curtis Arsenault, Berlin, basketball
April: Peter Williamson, Hanover, golf
May: Morgan Andrews, Milford, soccer
June: Hillary Holmes, Exeter, track and field
July: Lauren Thibodeau, Hampstead, golf
August: Sarah Groff, Hanover, triathlon
September: Victoria Arlen, Exeter, swimming
October: Chelso Barrett, Keene, golf
November: Casey DeSmith, Rochester, hockey
OTHER 2012 AWARD WINNERS TO BE HONORED AT THE LEADERS
Carl Lundholm Memorial
(for dedication to youth in athletics)
Tom Walton, Hopkinton
John R. Clark Officials
Fran Maineri, New Hampton
Rick Forge, Moultonborough
Harry Irwin, Somersworth
Mike Gould, Nashua
Walter A. Smith Coaches
Charlie Beach, Keene
Deb Beach, Keene
Al Halpern, Goffstown
Tony Johnson, formerly of Manchester
Stan Lyford, North Hampton
NHIAA Athletes and Coaches of the Year
WINTER
Boys' basketball
Coach: David Wheeler, Manchester Central
Girls' basketball
Player: Jane White, Souhegan
Coach: John Fagula, Londonderry
Boys' ice hockey
Player: Zach Sanford, Pinkerton
Coach: Mark Putney, Manchester Memorial
Girls' ice hockey
Player: Maddie Dewhirst, Hanover
Coach: Stacy Boudrias, Concord
Boys' indoor track and field
Athlete: Jonathan Vinnenberg, Bow
Coach: Ian French, Pinkerton
Girls' indoor track and field
Athlete: Hillary Holmes, Exeter
Coach: Emily Blahnik, Bedford
Boys' swimming and diving
Athlete: David Pfeifer, Bishop Guertin
Coach: Karla Black, Bishop Guertin
Girls' swimming and diving
Athlete: Emily Wadlinger, Lebanon
Coach: Karla Black, Bishop Guertin
Wrestling
Athlete: Zach Bridson, Timberlane
Coach: Barry Chooljian, Timberlane
SPRING
Baseball
Player: Graham McIntire, Concord
Coach: Marc Schoff, St. Thomas Aquinas
Boys' lacrosse
Player: Bob Fahey, Bishop Guertin
Coach: Brian O'Reilly, Pinkerton
Girls' lacrosse
Player: Jane Symmes, Concord
Coach: Beth Rogers, Merrimack
Softball
Player: Taylor Carbone, Alvirne
Coach: Dennis Bruce, Winnacunnet
Boys' tennis
Player: Mark Hosang, Bedford
Coach: Shawna Morley, Bedford
Girls' tennis
Player: Julia Keenan, St. Thomas Aquinas
Coach: Debbie Lloyd, Bishop Guertin
Boys' outdoor track and field
Athlete: Romario Bailey, Stevens
Coach: Walter Roberts, Pinkerton
Girls' outdoor track and field
Athlete: Betsy Garnick, Bishop Guertin
Coach: Jarod Mills, White Mountains
FALL
Boys' cross country
Athlete: Jeremy Brassard, Coe-Brown
Coach: Jeff Wilson, Souhegan
Girls' cross country
Athlete: Elizabeth Conway, Manch. Central
Coach: Tim Cox, Coe-Brown
Field hockey
Player: Lindsey Nerbonne, Bow
Coach: Amanda Ward, Windham
Football
Player: Tyler Grant, Exeter
Coach: Chuck Lenahan, Plymouth
Boys' soccer
Player: Erik Martel, Bedford
Coach: Mike Hachey, Windham
Girls' soccer
Player: Morgan Andrews, Milford
Coach: Michelle Winning, Bedford
Volleyball
Player: Molly Wotton, Dover
Coach: John Roemer, Salem
Special Recognition
(for commitment to youth)
Dan Duval*, Manchester
*Presented posthumously
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