WATERVILLE, Maine – Three difference programs were represented among the North Atlantic Conference’s 2023 major award honorees in men’s swimming and diving.
 
Husson’s Steven Johnston (Hermon, Maine) repeated as the NAC’s Swimmer of the Year, while Spencer Bernat (Westerly, Rhode Island) was also a repeat honoree as the conference’s Diver of the Year. Maine Maritime Academy’s Jim Creegan (East Brunswick, New Jersey) and Husson’s Alex Walsh (Kingston, Rhode Island) were selected as Co-Rookies of the Year. Maine Maritime Head Coach Tony DeMuro and Gordon College Head Coach Bryce Bowie were named Co-Head Coaches of the Year in NAC men’s swimming and diving.
 
Husson’s Andrew Cote (Saco, Maine) was tabbed as the NAC’s Senior Scholar Athlete in men’s swimming and diving.
 
Johnston won three medals at the 2023 NAC Men’s Swimming & Diving Championships, winning the 100 Freestyle (47.38), the 100 Butterfly (52.46), and the 50 Freestyle (21.67). He earned NAC Swimmer of the Week honors twice during the 2022-23 season. Johnston won those same three events at the 2022 NAC Men’s Swimming & Diving Championships on his way to earning Swimmer of the Year honors at the conference’s inaugural swimming & diving championship.
 
Bernat took top honors in the 1M diving competition for the second year in a row, recording 377.15 points in the finals. He was tabbed for NAC Men’s Diver of the Week honors three times during the 2022-23 season.
 
Creegan finished first for Maine Maritime Academy in both the 500 Free (5:04.68) and the 1000 Free (10:40.04) during the 2023 NAC Men’s Swimming & Diving Championships, and was twice recognized as the conference’s Rookie of the Week. Walsh claimed NAC Rookie of the Week honors for Husson University three times during the 2022-23 season, and finished in second place in two events during the 2023 NAC championships.
 
Maine Maritime’s Tony DeMuro and Gordon College’s Bryce Bowie will share the NAC Men’s Swimming & Diving Coach of the Year award. DeMuro led the Mariners to their second straight NAC Men’s Swimming & Diving Championship and is receiving Men’s Coach of the Year honors for the second consecutive year. Bowie is in his first season at the helm of Gordon’s men’s and women’s swimming programs, and guiding the Fighting Scots in their first appearance in the NAC championships as associate members.
 
An education major with a minor in mathematics, Cote has been a four-year member of the Husson men’s swimming and diving team, and is currently doing his student-teaching as an eighth-grade math teacher. He also serves as a swimming official at the high school level, and is a member of the Husson Hiking Club.
 
In addition to the top conference awards, the 21 individual event winners at the 2023 NAC Men’s Swimming & Diving Championship were named to the All-Conference Team and four men were named to the NAC Men's Swimming & Diving Sportsmanship Team.
 
The Sportsmanship Team is reserved for those who distinguish themselves through demonstrated acts of sportsmanship and ethical behavior. The honorees have positively affected the sport culture and meet environment by clearly demonstrating sportsmanship and integrity beyond playing rules and etiquette.
 
2023 All-North Atlantic Conference
First Place at the NAC Championship
 
50 Butterfly – Brady Hand, Husson University
100 Butterfly – Steven Johnston, Husson University
200 Butterfly – Nathan Gilliam, Husson University
50 Backstroke – Ryan Emerson, Husson University
100 Backstroke – Ryan Emerson, Husson University
200 Backstroke – Jace Chouinard, Maine Maritime Academy
50 Breaststroke – Aidan Burke, Maine Maritime Academy
100 Breaststroke – Aidan Burke, Maine Maritime Academy
200 Breaststroke – Aiden Burke, Maine Maritime Academy
50 Freestyle – Steven Johnston, Husson University
100 Freestyle – Steven Johnston, Husson University
200 Freestyle – Jace Chouinard, Maine Maritime Academy
500 Freestyle – Jay Creegan, Maine Maritime Academy
1000 Freestyle – Jay Creegan, Maine Maritime Academy
100 Individual Medley – Lincoln Graf, Maine Maritime Academy
200 Individual Medley – John Markillie, Maine Maritime Academy
1M Diving – Spencer Bernat, Husson University
200 Freestyle Relay – Maine Maritime Academy (Carson Trout, Fox Fernald, Jace Chouinard, John Markillie)
400 Freestyle Relay – Maine Maritime Academy (John Markillie, Jace Chouinard, Griffin Erb, Carson Trout)
200 Medley Relay – Maine Maritime Academy (Cameron Sprott, Aidan Burke, John Markillie, Carson Trout)
400 Medley Relay – Maine Maritime Academy (Cameron Sprott, Aidan Burke, John Markillie, Carson Trout)
 
NAC Men’s Swimming & Diving Sportsmanship Team
SUNY Delhi – Aidan McLaughlin
Gordon College – John Sullivan
Husson University – Ben Carusi
Maine Maritime Academy – Kyle Smit