"No swimmer contributed more to our team's success during a four-year period than Lauren," said Terrier head swimming coach Reagh Wetmore. "That includes any swimmer who came before her or any who have come since she graduated."
That is quite a statement as Wetmore has been the Terriers' coach since swimming began on the competitive level during the 1970s. Among his swimmers have been Hall of Famers Sybil Smith, Shawn McCluskey, and Gretchen Ebner-Caterson.
Yet, Lauren meant more to her teams' successes than anyone else.
"She had more career wins than anyone," pointed out Wetmore. "She was team captain for two years. She was our team MVP all four years in which she competed. Plus, she was a great model for the other members of the team."
She made her presence felt from the outset.
As a freshman during the 1989-90 season, she won the 200 butterfly at the prestigious Eastern Intercollegiate Swimming Conference for Women Championships and, as a result, was named All-East. Then, her sophomore year, she won both the 200 fly and individual medley at the America East meet.
It was during her junior season, though, that she amassed an impressive regular-season record. She went undefeated in the 200 IM and placed first in 23 events. At the America East Championship, she set three conference records while swimming the 100 breaststroke, the 200 fly and the 200 IM.
Then, as a senior, she won 22 individual events in dual meets and was a member of the 200 and 400 medley relay teams that went undefeated during the regular-season. She went on to the ECAC Championship where she won both the 200 IM and 200 fly in meet record-breaking time. She also swam on two title-winning relays, as she helped lead the Terriers to the ECAC team title. That season of 1992-93 ranks as one of the most successful ever for a Terrier women's swim team as it was 7-1 during the regular-season and won the program's only ECAC title.
Named the 1992-93 America East Swimmer of the Year and co-recipient of the Outstanding Performer at the ECAC Championship, Lauren also received the 1993 Mildred Barnes Award as the University's Outstanding Female Athlete. She was just the second swimmer to be so honored in the 20 years it has been presented. The only other was Sybil Smith in 1987 and 1988.
