12/4/2006 - (Riverdale, NY) - If anybody questioned whether or not Mount Saint Vincent Head Swimming Coach Beth Clark would be able to handle the transition from participant to coach in only a matter of months, their questions have been answered ... with an exclamation point. Clark, in her first season at the Mount Saint Vincent helm, not only led the Dolphins to a second place regular season finish in Hudson Valley Women's Athletic Conference (HVWAC) competition during the regular season, and a top-three finish at Friday night's HVWAC Championships, but she was also voted the Conference's Co-Coach of the Year on Friday. She shared the award with Jennifer Walker of Sarah Lawrence College, who led the Gryphons to their second consecutive undefeated season and sweep of both the regular season and post-season championships. 

Mount Saint Vincent Head Women's Swimming Coach Beth Clark was voted the Hudson Valley Women's Athletic Conference (HVWAC) Co-Coach of the Year on Friday night at the HVWAC Championships. During her first year at the Mount Saint Vincent helm, Clark led the Dolphins to a second place regular season finish and their third straight top-three finish at the HVWAC Championships.

Not bad for somebody who only a few months ago was a member of the Mount Saint Vincent Swimming team, competing in her senior season during which she earned Team MVP honors and All-Conference from the HVWAC.

Under Clark's guidance, the Mount lost only once during the HVWAC regular season and twice overall despite Clark's ascension to the rank of Head Coach only weeks before the beginning of the season. With a full semester of college coaching under her belt, Clark will seek to take the Mount even further during the Spring semester when the Mount will look to qualify for regional championships based on individual times.

Clark wasn't the only one bringing home awards on Friday night as three Dolphins earned All-Conference honors from the HVWAC. Senior Maggie McGowan (Brooklyn, NY/St. Savior), sophomore Megan Clark (Silver Spring, MD/St. John's Prep), and freshman Andrea De La Torre (Valley Stream, NY/Mary Louis) were all honored after outstanding HVWAC campaigns this season. All three also earned medals during Friday's HVWAC Championships. McGowan placed in the top three in both breaststroke events for the third straight season, while Clark continued to perform as one of the best distance swimmers in the Conference, and De La Torre completed a fantastic freshman campaign during which she was honored as HVWAC Rookie of the Week twice during a five-week span.