A Swim Down Memory Lane: A UMass Farewell to Bob: Recent Episodes
Minutewomen Swimmers
Day whichever of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
UMass Men’s Coach - Russ Yarworth
Head Men’s Coach 1979-2020
Welcome back to the show! We couldn’t send Bob a final farewell without hearing from Russ. Russ coached the Men’s team at UMass and was a great companion to Bob. It was so fun to chat with Russ and hear some of his favorite memories. This will be our last show so enjoy!
Day 83 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Friend of Cece - Jonathan Freeman
Voice Actor for Jafar in Disney's Aladdin
We welcome a very special guest to the show, Jonathan Freeman! He sends his well wishes for Bob’s retirement. My husband Steve wanted to contribute to the show so he invited Jonathan to say happy retirement to Bob and congrats to us for our wedding. Get this pandemic done, we got a retirement party to get to!
Day 81 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of me yet! For today’s guest we have:
UMass Women’s Swimming Coach - Bob Newcomb
Head Swim Coach 1985-2020
We welcome the star of the show, Bob! He was so touched by the response of the podcast, he wanted to share some of his favorite memories as our coach. We include a lighting round of some true or false items, so Bob goes way back to find some truths and debunk the false ones. I learned so much about Bob and the team- old traditions, new traditions that this show was an honor for me to do. It is the work I am more proud of. I truly am so thankful to be a part of the UMass swimming family and all because Bob decided to let a red headed Californian who loved to swim onto the team. Sending huge thank you’s from the bottom of my heart for your support of the podcast. If you participated, listened, shared about the pod, I am so grateful for your contributions. Get this pandemic done, we got a retirement party to get to!
Day 80 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
UMass Diving Coach - Mandy Hixon
Head Diving Coach 2002-2017
So thrilled to share that we have Mandy joining us on the pod! She coached along side Bob and Russ from 2002-2017 and has some great memories of Bob. He was always a good sport to have around and always up for a friendly wager. We will be back tomorrow for the last episode and it’s going to be a fun one! Get those flags down, we have a diving break to get to!
Day 79 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 1981 - Bill Tyler
Swim Camp 1991-92, 2000-18
Retired Head Coach for Elms
We welcome one of Bob’s coach friends to the show, Bill! He was so kind to chat with me about his favorite memories of working with Bob and share well wishes for his retirement. Bill swam with Russ back in the day and graduated Class of 1981. We hear about Swim Camp days and looking forward to future days with Bob while in retirement. We will be back tomorrow for another episode to share! All of the kids are ready for the no talent show so here we go!
Day 78 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
UMass Associate AD for Swimming 2010-18 - Joan Hopkins
I am thrilled to welcome our next guest, we welcome Joan to the podcast! Joan was a former colleague of Bob’s as she was the Associate AD for Swimming and shares some wonderful memories of Bob. She was a swim coach herself and knew how intense the job of a swim coach can be- the long hours, being on the road, being there for your swimmers. She takes us to A10’s and the coaches meetings that went late into the night, this is a great episode to hear! We will be back Monday for another episode to share! Here we gooooooo, M-A-S-S-A-C-H-U-S-E-T-T-S MASSA MASSACHUSETTS!
Day 77 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2009 - Kaitlin Gass
Off Campus Residence - Red House
Stroke - Butterfly/IM
We welcome one of my closest friends and teammate Kait to the podcast! By chance, Kait and I were Freshman roommates and have remained close through out college and even to today. Kait was in a wedding this summer and gave the perfect speech. She shares some of her favorite memories with Bob and some of the things from swim camp days. I feel so fortunate for Kait’s friendship and we have Bob to thank for rooming us together Freshman year! We will be back tomorrow for another episode to share! Here we gooooooo, M-A-S-S-A-C-H-U-S-E-T-T-S MASSA MASSACHUSETTS!
Day 76 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 1990 - Michele “Shelf” Leary
Off Campus Residence - Sylvan/down Rt 116/High St
Stroke - Mid-distance Free
This is a super fun episode as we welcome Michele to the podcast! She joined the team in 1985 and ended up swimming a fifth year. She held five records during her time and was inducted into the UMass Hall of Fame for Swimming. She shares wonderful (PG) stories of Bob and her experience on the team. I feel so fortunate I got to chat with her and this episode is a for sure listen! We will be back tomorrow for another episode to share! Here we gooooooo, M-A-S-S-A-C-H-U-S-E-T-T-S MASSA MASSACHUSETTS!
Day 75 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 1987 - Allison Uzzo De Bellis
Off Campus Residence - Downtown Amherst
Stroke - Distance Free
Yesterday we welcomed one of Bob’s last swimmers but today we are going to welcome one of his first! We’re going way back in the archives and welcome Allison to the pod! She was a Sophomore for Bob’s first year as the coach and have so many wonderful things to share. We chat about how Bob prepared all of us for life, was he our swim coach or get ready for life coach 🤔 Swimming is an individual sport but Bob really emphasized the team aspect and they are great skills to have. We will be back Monday for another episode to share! Here we gooooooo, M-A-S-S-A-C-H-U-S-E-T-T-S MASSA MASSA CHUSETTS!
Day 74 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2021 - Mariam Labib
Off Campus Residence - Hadley
Stroke - Sprint Free
Let’s have so much fun with today’s episode as we welcome a current member of the team, Mariam! She is currently a Senior and enjoying her last year on Campus. She is originally from Canada and just returned home for the holidays. It is tough to admit which episodes are my favorite but it is so much joy to chat with the current members of the team as they bring so much energy and enthusiasm to the podcast! With Mariam, we chat surgeries, traditions and so much more! We will be back tomorrow for another episode to share! We have the first meet of the season tomorrow, time to go prank Bob’s house!
Day 73 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2007 - Liz Lovejoy Aiken
Off Campus Residence - Red House
Stroke - Butterfly and Free
We are in for a real treat as we welcome one of my former teammates, Liz! She got super fast while on the team and I always admired her dedication to swimming and having a good time. Pranks made a brief come back all thanks to Liz and Meg, my favorite being when they saran wrapped the pool. We will be back tomorrow for another episode to share! We have the first meet of the season tomorrow, time to go prank Bob’s house!
Day 72 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Grad Assistant 1991-1994 - Ed Melanson
Off Campus Residence - Sunderland
Undergrad - Ohio State
We are thrilled to welcome one of Bob’s grad assistants, Ed! He shares what it was like to coach with Bob, what he learned from Bob and the women, such fun times in Totman. We will be back tomorrow for another episode to share! We have the first meet of the season tomorrow, time to go prank Bob’s house!
Day 71 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 1999 - Julie Alexander House
Off Campus Residence - Junior Year: Hobart lane Senior Year: Main St Downtown Amherst
Stroke - Breaststroke/Mid-distance Free
We welcome a great guest to the podcast, Julie! She shared a plethora of fun memories of the team and what it was like during the 1990’s. The pranks, adventures, oh my! A bit of what Julie shares is that when you swim for Bob, you join the family and I completely agree. Going back to UMass anytime seeing Bob feels like going home. Plus we chat so many more things, this one is a must listen to! We will be back tomorrow for another episode to share! Get those flags up, we have a relay to get to!
Day 70 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 1989 - Debbie the Diver
Off Campus Residence - Bob’s old Apartment
Diver
It’s a Diver Friday! We welcome Bob’s very first diver recruit, Deb Mullen Pavis! She spills all the T of what Bob was like as a young coach, newly married, what Bob was like as a diving coach. By chance would have it, Deb had a few injuries and ended up coaching alongside Bob. If you want to take a trip down memory lane, we’re headed to the 1980’s! We will be back Monday for another episode to share! Get those flags down, we have a diving break! Go divers!
Day 69 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Friend of Bob - Sharon Weiner
Parent - Hayley Masi’s ’18 Mom
We welcome another Friend of Bob to the podcast, Sharon! She joins as a parent which reminds me so much of how much of a greater impact Bob reach’s has. Sharon is a gift photographer and she brought her talents to the pool deck. Let’s chat as she shares some of her favorite memories with Bob. We will be back tomorrow for another episode to share! Set your marks, here we go!
Day 68 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 1999 - Shana Strothers Dotterer
Off Campus Resdience - Junior Year - Habart Lane Senior Year - Off Rt 9
Stroke - Free 200 back/IM
Let’s travel back to the 1990’s and welcome Shana Class of 1999! She shares a bit about her recruiting trip, where so many of us got that feeling where we wanted Bob to be our coach. It is a fun chat and we venture into traditions. Best of all? M-A-S-S-A-C-H-U-S-E-T-T-S MASSA MASSA CHUSETTS! We will be back tomorrow for another episode to share! Get those flags down, we got a relay to get to!
Day 67 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2015 - Zoë Judd
Off Campus Resdience - Junior Year - Hadley, Senior Year - Downtown Amherst
Stroke - Sprint/Mid-distance Free
We welcome Zoë to the podcast! She grew up with the Jenkins in the same town so it was always fun to head back to the team and hear how she and the rest of the girls were doing. We chat all about favorite memories with Bob and so many fun traditions! We will be back tomorrow for another episode to share! Get those flags down, we got a relay to get to!
Day 66 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2005 - Lynette Sweeney Bell
Off Campus Resdience - White House
Stroke - 200/400 IM back middle distance and the relays
Let’s get this week off to a great start with a new pod! We welcome a wonderful guest to the show, Lynette! She graduated the year before I joined the team so there were always so many memories with my Seniors sharing fun times with Lynette. There is also a UMass fun fact for today! Take a listen! We will be back tomorrow for another episode to share! Get those flags down, we got a relay to get to!
Day 65 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2007 - Mary Jenkins
Off Campus Resdience - Rt 116
Dives - Diver 105B on front 2 and half pike
Reverses 1 and half on 1 meter
Full twisting and a half on 1 mete
Inward 2 and half diver on 3 meter
It’s Fri-YAY! A diver Friday! We welcome a very special guest to the pod, a diver member of the team, Mary. Luckily Mary was one of the first people I met when I got to campus my Freshman year and the rest is history. She shares all about Bob including the divers with the team and how it contributed to the overall atmosphere of the team dynamic. We will be back Monday for another episode to share! Get those flags down, we got a diving break ahead!
Day 64 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 1992 - Tree Jacobs
Off Campus Resdience - Salem St
Stroke - Sprint
We have a wild episode to share! We welcome Tree to the podcast where we chat all about the trips we made en route to away meets. I admit, this interview made me blush considering all of the shenanigans the team played during the early 1990’s. Bob has some explaining to do! But in all honesty, we use to hear about how colorful the team was back in its heyday and Tree spills all the T! Tree was a walk onto the team and mentioned she was able to swim all four strokes legally and found her place in the sprint lane. We will be back tomorrow for another episode to share! Get those flags up, we got a relay to get to!
Day 63 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2008 - Susan Allen Reynolds
Off Campus Resdience - Belchertown
Stroke - Backstroke
Another great episode to kick start December! We welcome Susan to the podcast! It is so much fun to share that Susan and I were on the team together and she even helped host while I came out on my recruiting trip.She shares some of her favorite memories with Bob and boy, are they some much fun. We love your stories Bob! We will be back tomorrow for another episode to share! Get those flags up, we got a relay to get to!
Day 62 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2014 - Anna Cavanaugh
Off Campus Resdience - White House
Stroke - 100, 200, 500 Free
We jump into December with a great start! We welcome Anna to the podcast! She shares the excitement of kicking off A10’s and how much the energy was completely thrilling. We will be back tomorrow for another episode to share! Get those lap counters, we got the 500 comin’ up!
Day 61 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2016 - Katie Orr
Off Campus Resdience - Off of Main St
Stroke - Distance
We hope everyone had a terrific Thanksgiving but we are back to the show! We welcome Katie Orr as she shares her favorite memories of Bob! We begin with when she first pulled up to campus to scope out the team and knew instanstiously that she wanted Bob to be her coach. She shares her quest to break 5:00 for the 500, does it happen? You’ll have to listen to find out! We will be back tomorrow for another episode to share! Get those lap counters, we got the mile comin’ up!
Day 60 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Friend of Bob - Kate Orefice
Swam for Bill Tyler at Elms
Swim Camp for 12 years 2006-2018
We welcome another friend of Bob to the podcast, we welcome Kate! I knew Kate back when I was on the team and we met while we both did swim camp the summer before my Senior year. She ended up joining swim camp for 12 years! Up until the very end, she was a key member of the staff. She has some great things to share about Bob so let’s take a listen! We will be back Monday for another episode to share! Happy Thanksgiving 🦃 Get those kids in line, we're off to the DC for lunch!
Day 59 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Friend of Bob - Cynthia Kangos-Baker
Former swimmer for the University of Alabama
Cyclist for over 20 years
We are thankful this week as we are celebrating Thanksgiving and celebrating friends! We welcome Cynthia, who met Bob as a parent, she is Ansley Baker’s mother. She shares some epic bike rides with Bob and lots of well wishes for life in retirement. We will be back tomorrow for another episode to share! Get those flags up cause we got a relay to get to!
Day 58 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Assistant Coach for 2014-15 Season - Ellie Monobe
Undergrad - UC Berkeley Class of 2011
Worked closely with IM’ers and Breaststrokers
We are gearing up for Thanksgiving week and have another Assistant Coach to share! We welcome Ellie, who was Assistant Coach for Bob for the 2014-15 season. Coaching with Bob was her first swim job outside of grad school so it was a great experience. We will be back tomorrow for another episode to share! Get those flags up cause we got a relay to get to!
Day 57 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2007 - Mel Pond
Off Campus Residence - Pelham
Dive - Twisting divers, back 1 and 1/2
We break up with the week with a diver Friday today! We welcome Mel to the podcast! Mel was a diver on the team and was very close with the two divers in my class so I knew very well in school. It was so much fun to reconnect and hear how she is doing, she shares her favorite memories of being on the team and with Bob. We will be back Monday for another episode to share! Get those flags down cause we got a diving break to get to!
Day 56 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Assistant Coach for 2008 - 2011 - Danielle Grobmyer
Undergrad - St. Bonaventure
Assistant Coach week coming at you fast as we welcome Danielle to the podcast! She was our Assistant Coach while I was a Senior and she was such a huge contribution to the team. She shares her favorite memories with Bob and what it was like to work with him as a Coach. This one is a great listen. We will be back tomorrow for another episode to share! Get those flags up cause we got a meet to win!
Day 55 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2011 & Assistant Coach for Class of 2012 - Meg Nowak
Off Campus Housing - Yellow House
Stroke - Breaststroke
We got a great episode to share as Assistant Coach week continues! We welcome Meg to the podcast! Meg joined the team when I was a junior so it has been so much fun to reconnect and see each other during these crazy times. We dive in sharing all the great things about Bob and even share how (where 🤭) he gets all the gossip from! We will be back tomorrow for another episode to share! Get those flags up cause we got a meet to win!
Day 54 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2013 & Assistant Coach for Class of 2014 - Amina Meho
Off Campus Housing - Yellow House
Stroke - Short Free, 200 Free
Assistant Coach week continues! We welcome Amina to the podcast who swam for Bob and stayed on as a Coach for her 5th year. We take a dive for her to share some great memories of Bob. A huge shout out to Amina for helping out with the podcast and sharing some contracts for me to reach out to. We will be back tomorrow for another episode to share! Get those lane lines tightened cause we have a relay to get to!
Day 53 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Assistant Coach for Class of 2007 - 2008 - Scott Whitbeck
It’s Assistant Coach week! We are kicking this week off with one of my Assistant Coach’s, Scott! Scott joined the team while he was getting his MBA and he shares some great memories with Bob. We will be back tomorrow for another episode to share! Get those lane lines tightened cause we have a relay to get to!
Day 52 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2001 - Sharyn Harrison
On Campus Residence - Kennedy
Stroke - Freshman year mid/distance all free
Sophomore/Junior 200 free/fly
Senior 200 fly
Happy Friday! We welcome Sharyn to the podcast! It was so much fun to chat with Sharyn and hear about how life is in NYC currently. She shares so many wonderful memories with Bob and even as they were 2001 A10 Champions! We will be back Monday for another episode to share! Get those lane lines tightened cause we have a relay to get to!
Day 51 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2008 - Allie Volpe
Off Campus Residence - Belchertown
Stroke - Sprint Free & Fly
We welcome Allie to the podcast! Allie and I were on the team together and she even helped host when I came for my recruiting trip! She shares such great memories with Bob and even one where Bob can have a good laugh at now. We will be back tomorrow for another episode to share! Get those lane lines tightened cause we have a relay to get to!
Day 50 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2016 - Mary Kate Cohen
Off Campus Residence - Puffton Junior Year, Hallock St Senior Year
Stroke - Breaststroke and IM
50 episodes of the podcast! So incredible! We welcome Mary Kate to the podcast with lots of fun memories to share. Shout out to Bob for having his backpack stuffed of essential items to keep the team going! We will be back Thursday for another episode to share, enjoy Veterans Day for tomorrow. Get those lane lines tightened cause we have a relay to get to!
Day 49 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2012 - Dorothy Polatin
Off Campus Residence - Red House
Stroke - Distance Free
This is a super fun episode as we welcome one of my Freshman Dorothy! She came in as a Freshman when I was a Senior and had the best year on the team together. We discovered that we are only a few towns apart and have gotten together since we reconnected for the podcast. We will be back tomorrow for another episode to share! Get those lane lines tightened cause we have a relay to get to!
Day 48 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 1992 - Steve Myers
Off Campus Residence - East Pleasant St, The Brown House
Diver
Happy Friday! We have a Diver Friday for today’s episode! We welcome Steve to the podcast, a diver who Bob coached. It was so much fun to hear how Bob was as a diving coach and to hear what the time was like in the 1990’s. We will be back Monday for another episode to share! Get those lane lines tightened cause we have a relay to get to!
Day 47 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2021 - Paige Mitchell
Off Campus Residence - Mount Warner Rd
Stroke - Sprint Free
We have a lovely guest to share today, we welcome a current member of the team, Paige! She shares some of her favorite memories of Bob such as, how Bob always keep a light and carefree environment on deck. He was always up for a good laugh. It was also great to chat with Paige as she is originally from Illinois and it was easy to relate as we are both out of state swimmer. She will be graduating in the spring so let’s give Paige a seat as an alum! We will be back tomorrow for another episode to share! Get those lane lines tightened cause we have a relay to get to!
Day 46 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2017 - Katie Scordato
Off Campus Residence - Grandwood Ave, the same neighborhood as Mandy
Stroke - Breaststroke and 200 IM/Senior Year Fly and 200 IM
Hello! It’s the day after the Election! We are here with a really fun guest to share, we welcome Katie! She shares a fun memory from Puerto Rico which has a lot of laughs looking back on. We discovered that she is a neighbor of mine! We live two towns apart. She has been busy since recently going back to school to get her Nursing degree so we wish Katie a lot of luck! We will be back tomorrow for another episode to share. Get those lane lines tightened cause we have a relay to get to!
Day 45 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2016 - Jess Murphy
Off Campus Residence - White House
Stroke - Breaststroke and Fly
It’s Election Day! We have a wonderful guest to share today, we welcome Jess! Lots of memories from freshman year and then a big one from living at White House! We will be back tomorrow for another episode to share! Get those lane lines tightened cause we have a relay to get to!
Day 44 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2021 - Sydnee Aubin
Off Campus Residence - Mount Warner Rd
Stroke - Mid distance free/back/fly
We kick off this historic week with a current member of the team, Syndee! It was so much fun to chic chat with her about her experience being on the team. We will be back tomorrow for another episode to share! Get those lane lines tightened cause we have a relay to get to!
Day 43 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2019 - Katie Polk
Off Campus Residence - Hadley
Diver
We are wrapping up 2019 week with a diver from Class of 2019, Katie! She was so kind to share her favorite memories of being on the team and well wishes for Bob’s retirement. We will be back Monday for another episode to share! Get those flags down cause we have a diving break to get to!
Day 42 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2019 - Jen Robeson and Ansley Baker
Off Campus Residence - Brick House in Hadley
Stroke - Jen: IM/Butterfly Ansley Breaststroke/Sprint Free
We have a double feature for today as we welcome Jen and Ansley to the podcast! One of the things I have loved about doing this podcast is learning so much about Bob, such as Bob is a Pats fan! So is Ansley and they always had a great discuss after a game. Here they get a chance to share their favorite memories of him and being on the team. We will be back tomorrow for another episode to share! Get those lane lines tightened cause we have a relay to get to!
Day 41 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2019 - Maddie Biron
Off Campus Residence - Brick House in Hadley
Stroke - Backstroke
2019 week continues as we welcome Maddie to the podcast! I have loved chatting with this class as they arrived all together first thing when Bob opened the doors to the pool which was something that my class did as well! Maddie shares her favorite memories with Bob and being on the team. We will be back tomorrow for another episode to share! Get to that warm down cause you got back to back events coming up!
I also wanted to shout out to her and her sister Carly for running an amazing work out company! Check out Built by Biron!
Day 40 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2019 - Steph Campo
Off Campus Residence - Brick House in Hadley
Stroke - Long distance free/the mile
We are continuing with the Class of 2019 as we welcome Steph! We chat all about how Bob treated us as people first and a swimmer second, he was always so good about our health and well being. We will be back tomorrow for another episode to share! Get to that warm down cause you got back to back events coming up!
Day 39 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2019 - Rachel Grant
Off Campus Residence - Brick House in Hadley
Stroke - Butterfly/short distance free
We are going to welcome the Class of 2019 all of this week and we have Rachel kicking things off! We chat all and everything in between about being on the team especially heading down to Puerto Rico for training trips. She mentions a great story about Bob and Facebook Lives so this if definitely worth a listen. We will be back tomorrow for another episode to share! Get to that warm down cause you got back to back events coming up!
Day 38 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2006 - Aimee Bourassa
Off Campus Residence - Red House
Stroke - Mid to Distance Free
This is a super fun episode as we welcome Aimee to the podcast! She were on the team together as she was a Senior when I came in as a Freshman. I always looked up to Aimee she has a huge passion for swimmer and for UMass so this is a great listen while she shares her favorite memories of Bob. We will be back next week for another episode to share! Get to that warm down cause you got back to back events coming up!
Day 37 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2010 - Ashley Dress
Off Campus Residence - White House
Stroke - Backstroke
I am so thrilled to share this episode! We welcome Ashley to the podcast and she shares how she was a walk-on to the team and how encouraging Bob was for her to join. This is definitely one of my fav’s so far! We will be back tomorrow for another episode to share! Grab those lane lines cause we got a relay to get to!
Day 36 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 1994 - Alex Meek Shumway
Off Campus Residence - State St Junior year and
Main St and High St Senior Year
Dive - Specialty 1 meter
We have a blast in today’s episode as we welcome Alex to the podcast! Alex was a diver who dove for Bob and we get to take a peek into what Bob is like as a diving coach. Spoiler Alert: just the same as our swim coach! Extremely kind and so encouraging. We will be back tomorrow for another episode to share! Get those flags down cause we got a diving break to get to!
Day 35 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2011 - Jenn Corriveau
Off Campus Residence - Red House
Stroke - Sprint Free
We have a great guest joining us for today, we welcome Jenn! It’s fun to share that Jenn and I were on the team together, she was a Freshman when I was a Junior. We were also housemates my Senior year! We got a chance to catch up while she shares her favorite memories of Bob, let’s take a listen! We will be back tomorrow for another episode to share! Get those lane lines tight cause we got a relay to get to!
Day 34 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2020 - Sarah Jacobs
Off Campus Residence - White House
Stroke - 100/200 Backstroke, 100 Fly and Sprint Free Senior year
It is so much fun to welcome new members to our Alumni Club, now introducing Sarah Class of 2020! She graduated in the spring and shares such great memories of Bob. He always filled in the right role at the right time, knowing exactly how to fix things. We will be back tomorrow for another episode to share! Get those lane lines tight cause we got a relay to get to!
Day 33 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2012 - Kayla Tegeler
Off Campus Residence - White House
Stroke - Free/Fly
We have a really great guest today, we welcome one of my Freshman when I was a Senior, Kayla! She shares some great memories and well wishes for Bob. We will be back Monday for another episode to share! Get those lane lines tight cause we got a relay to get to!
Day 32 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2016 - Rebecca Quirie
Off Campus Residence - White House
Stroke - Backstroke and IM
This is a super fun episode as I chat with Rebecca all about her UMass experience and time on the team. As an international student, she was on campus for Thanksgiving when Bob extended an invitation to enjoy Thanksgiving with him and Judy, be still my heart! Bob is the best! We will be tomorrow for another episode to share! Get those lane lines tight cause we got a relay to get to!
Day 31 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2018 - Emily Zimmerman
Off Campus Residence - Junior Year: Downtown Amherst on Main St. Senior Year: White House
Stroke - Distance and Sprint Free
We have another local Boston guest for today’s podcast and we welcome Emily! She faced some challenges during college and Bob was there to support her completely through it, that’s what makes Bob the best! He cares about you as a person first and a swimmer second. We will be tomorrow for another episode to share! Get those lane lines tight cause we got a relay to get to!
Day 30 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2002 - Anne Dettloff Keane
Off Campus Residence - Downtown Amherst & Sunderland
Stroke - Distance and Sprint Free
Thrilled to share our guest for today, we welcome Anne! We have a great time as she shares her favorite memories of Bob and being on the team. She is a local to Boston so it is always fun to find other UMass Swim Alum in the area. We will be tomorrow for another episode to share! Get those lane lines tight cause we got a relay to get to!
Day 29 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2009 - Cecelia Jenkins
Off Campus Residence - Amity St.
Stroke - Sprint Free & Breaststroke
We welcome Ceel to the podcast! This is a super fun episode to share since Ceel and I were the same class and joined the team Freshman year together. We had so many great memories and she shares how much of impact Bob made in her life. This is one of my favs! So grab your coffee and tissues cause this one gives all of the feels.
We will be Tuesday for another episode to share, enjoy the holiday! Get those lane lines tight cause we got a relay to get to!
Day 28 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2020 - Olga Egkorova
Off Campus Residence - White House
Stroke - Butterfly, Distance and IM
We share a new member as a UMass Swim Alum as we welcome Olga ’20 to the podcast! She has some great memories of Bob including how he and the rest of the team always made sure she felt at home since she was an international student. We will be back tomorrow for another episode to share. Get those lane lines tight cause we got a relay to get to!
Day 27 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 1996 - Mirca Martinez
On Campus Residence - Kennedy in Southwest
Stroke - Butterfly and Water Polo
Today’s podcast we welcome Mirca! She is originally from Puerto Rico and shares all about her time at UMass with Bob and on the team in the middle 1990’s. It is incredible how Bob always made every feel welcomed to be on the team and I love hearing this in Mirca’s story. We will be back tomorrow for another episode to share. Get those cages ready cause we have a water polo match to get to!
Day 26 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2004 - Lauren Rowell Rathmann
Off Campus Residence - Brandywine Junior year and Off of Allen St Senior year
Stroke - Backstroke and IM
We have a really great episode as we welcome Lauren to the podcast! Lauren has the funniest story with Bob while in FL for their training trip. So many fun memories of traveling to warmer climates for our training trips but this story certainly takes the cake. We will be back tomorrow for another episode to share. Get those flags up, cause we got a relay to do!
Day 25 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2010 - Eryn Brewer
Stroke - Backstroke
Our guest today on the podcast is Eryn Brewer! Eryn was a year below me so we spend a lot of time on the team together and were even lane 5 together! She shares some of Bob’s favorite stories and they were always good ones to listen to as we avoided getting into the water. We will be back tomorrow for another episode to share. Get those flags up, cause we got a relay to do!
Day 24 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2009 - Emma Putney
Stroke - Backstroke
We are thrilled to share Emma Putney on the podcast today! Emma and I were Freshman together, she was one of the first people I met when I got to UMass. She swam Freshman year and cheered from afar after that year but has some great memories to share of Bob and the team. I remember so many fun nights at the bar with Emma in Downtown Amherst so it was so wonderful to catch up during this crazy time. We will be back on Monday for another episode to share. Get those flags up, cause we got a relay to do!
Day 23 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2020 - Chelsea Meiring
Off Campus Residence -White House
Stroke - Sprint free and breaststroke
We are welcoming a very new alumni to the podcast, Chelsea ’20! She shares some great stories with Bob and being on the team, a too funny story with recruits! We will be back tomorrow for another episode to share. Get those flags up, cause we got a relay to do!
Day 22 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2011 - Kaitie English
Off Campus Residence -Yellow House
Stroke - Butterfly and mid distance free
I am thrilled to share for today’s guest we have Kaitie joining us! We were on the team together and while she was considering UMass, I hosted her for a weekend recruiting trip. With lots of fun and a bit of chaos after that weekend, she decided to swim for UMass and the rest is history! We will be back tomorrow for another episode to share. Get those flags up, cause we got a relay to do!
Day 21 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2007 - Meghan O’Connell Dupre
Off Campus Residence -RedHouse
Stroke - Distance Free and Breaststroke
We welcome Meg to the show for today! She was a Junior when I joined the team so we had such a great time on the team together. Meg was always a blast to be around and even a great prankster, this is a must listen! We will be back tomorrow for another episode to share. Get those flags down, cause we got a diving break to do!
Day 20 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2011 - Jessica Starosielec Howk
Off Campus Residence -Yellow House
Stroke - Breaststroke
Thrilled to have J Star on the show today! Jess and I were on the team together for a few years so she has some great memories to share with Bob and the team. We will be tomorrow to share more episodes. Get those flags down, cause we got a diving break to do!
Day 19 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2009 - Karen Upperco Randall
Off Campus Residence - Red House
Dive - Reversed 2 1/2 from 3 Meter or a back twist
A very special guest is here for the podcast today, we welcome my dear friend Karen! She was a diver for Mandy, Karen and I joined the team together as freshman and were dorm roommates Sophomore year, housemates Junior and Senior years. She shares her favorite memories of being on the team and with Bob. We will be back Monday to share more episodes. Get those flags down, cause we got a diving break to do!
Day 18 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2014 - Colleen Hespeler
Off Campus Residence - White House
Stroke - Backstroke
We welcome Colleen to the podcast! It’s a super fun episode because we are chatting all about traditions! Bob did such a great job keeping traditions throughout the years. It has been incredible to hear from girls who graduated before me and after me all have a similar experience with being on the team. We will be back tomorrow to share more episodes. Get those flags hung, cause we got a relay to do!
Day 17 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2007 - Nico LeBarge
Off Campus Residence - Hallock St by the Spoke
Stroke - Sprint Free
I am thrilled for today’s guest, we welcome Nico to the podcast! Nico was a junior when I joined the team so I always looked up to her for her dedication to the team and to her Art major. It was great to reconnect and chat about her favorite memories with Bob. We will be back tomorrow to share more episodes. Get those flags hung, cause we got a relay to do!
Day 16 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2002 - Becky Hunnewell
Off Campus Residence - Uptown behind Brueggers
Stroke - Backstroke, Free
It is a pleasure to introduce Beck to the podcast! I remember coming in as a freshman and see Becky’s name on the record board for the 200 back. Becky shares about her time on the team and specifically what it was like to be in Amherst for 09/11, truly sharing the best sides of Bob during difficult times. We will be back tomorrow to share more episodes. Get those flags hung, cause we got a relay to do!
Day 15 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2011 - Gillian Banks Salazar
Off Campus Residence - Yellow House
Stroke - Backstroke, Butterfly
It is the start of a new week and we welcome Gillian to the podcast! We were on the team at the same time together so it was really great to catch up and chat about her time on the team. She shares how Bob created an amazing atmosphere be on the team. We will be back tomorrow to share more episodes. On your mark, get set, listen!
Day 14 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2004 - Sarah Horshmann McGinty
Off Campus Residence - Red House
Stroke - Driver, known for her Inward 1 and half pike
So thrilled to welcome Sarah to the podcast! Sarah and I came on the team together as freshman and have been good friends ever since. Bob always welcomed the divers into his office and created a great team atmosphere where swimmers and divers were a team together. We will be back Monday to share more episodes. On your mark, get set, listen!
Day 13 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2004 - Christen Dexter
Off Campus Residence - Brandywine Junior year and Yellow House on Elms St Senior year
Stroke - Breaststroke and IM
Now introducing Christen to the Show! Christen has the perfect description of what it was like to swim for Bob. He was always there for us as person first and a swimmer second. We will be back tomorrow to share more episodes. On your mark, get set, listen!
Day 12 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2016 - Carly Biron
Off Campus Residence - White House
Stroke - Backstroke
From the Class of 2016 we welcome Carly to the Show! Carly has a great story about Bob keeping her on her toes back as a freshman and it really reflects how Bob has kept all of us on our toes. We will be back tomorrow to share more episodes. On your mark, get set, listen!
Day 11 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2013 - Erin Phinney
Off Campus Residence - Yellow House on Allen St
Stroke - Butterfly, Sprint Free
We welcome Erin to the podcast as she shares her favorite memories of Bob! Erin swam on the team for 3 years and cheered the team on her senior year as she devoted her time to an internship that led to her career. We will be back tomorrow to share more episodes. On your mark, get set, listen!
Day 10 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2011 - Tavis Potter
Off Campus Residence - Yellow House
Stroke - Breaststroke, IM, all of the freestyle relays
Let’s get this week off to a great start and welcome Tavis to the podcast! Tavis and I were on the team together so it’s fun to hear her favorite memories of Bob. We will be back tomorrow to share more episodes. On your mark, get set, listen!
Day 9 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2009 - Jackie Porter Little
Off Campus Residence - Senior Year Amity St
Stroke - IM and Breaststroke
Happy Friday! We have a fun Friday episode for today as we share Jackie’s favorite memories of being on the team and with Bob. Jackie and I came on the team together freshman year and a majority of how great my college experience is thanks to Jackie. We will be back next week to share more episodes. On your mark, get set, listen!
Day 8 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2014 - Tarryn Teresak
Off Campus Residence - White House
Stroke - Butterfly, 200 Free
Oh boy, has Tarryn got a story that will give you the biggest belly rolls! Showcasing Bob always has a great sense of humor. We will be back again tomorrow for some more fun down memory lane. Make sure you tighten those lane lines and get those flags hung!
Day 7 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2015 - Sammie Taylor
Off Campus Residence - Beltchertown Rd
Stroke - Sprint, really anything but Breaststroke
We get to chatting, Sammie and I instantly bond over how we either of us know Breaststroke and how terrifying long the long course pool in Puerto Rico is! A super fun listen! We will be back again tomorrow for some more fun down memory lane. Make sure you tighten those lane lines!
Day 6 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2010 - Joan Baltazar
Off Campus Residence - White House
Stroke - Breaststroke
This is a super fun episode as I chat with Joan about her time on the team and we were luckily enough to be on the team together! Lane 5 represents! We will be back again tomorrow for some more fun down memory lane. Make sure you tighten those lane lines for a strong practice ahead.
Have fun on your trip Bob out to Oregon!
Day 5 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2009 - Christa Narus
Off Campus Residence - Red House
Stroke - Butterfly
I am so fortunate to have met Christa as we joined the team the same year as Freshman! We became friends and remained good friends throughout the years and thank Bob for bring us together. We will be back again tomorrow for some more fun down memory lane.
Day 4 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2015 - Molly Smyth
Off Campus Residence - Junior Year: Sandy Beach Road in Hadley
Senior Year: Main St downtown Amherst
Stroke - Backstroker transitioned into Distance
I got to meet Molly during one of the Alumni weekends at UMass so it was fun to reconnect and hear her favorite memories of Bob! We will be back again tomorrow for some more fun down memory lane, make sure you tighten those lane lines!
Day 3 of Bob’s retirement and he hasn’t been able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 1990 - Jodi Schwartz
Off Campus Residence - Blue House
Stroke - Butterfly and distance
A lovely conversation with Jodi as she shares what the team was like during the late 1980’s/90’s. She graduated February 1991. We will be back again tomorrow for some more fun down memory lane, make sure you tighten those lane lines!
Day 2 of Bob’s retirement and he wasn’t able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2010 - Boopa Walsh
Off Campus Residence - White House
Stroke - Backstroke
So much fun to share, Boopa and I were on the team together years 2006-2009. We will be back again tomorrow for some more fun down memory lane.
Day 1 of Bob’s retirement and he wasn’t able to get rid of us yet! For today’s guest we have:
Class of 2009 - Cece Denno
Off Campus Residence - Red House
Stroke - Backstroke, short distance free
Today I am the host and the guest! Sharing some of the fun times at UMass during my years on the team, 2005-2009. We will be back again tomorrow for some more fun down memory lane, make sure you tighten those lane lines!
Congrats Bob! We're here for you as you enter retirement. You will be truly be missed! Some of the girls have gotten together to share our favorite memories so one last Hoorah!