Jill Stephenson enters her
14th year as the head coach of the men's and women's
swimming programs at Salisbury University. During
her tenure, both Sea Gull teams have experienced
record-setting individual performances and numerous
team successes.
Last season, under the
guidance of Stephenson, the men's team finished in
third place, which tied the previous year's
performance. SU finished the season with an overall
record of 7-4, 4-2 in conference. The women claimed
fourth place honors. Salisbury had six All-CAC
performers on the year. Under the tutelage of
Stephenson, SU broke 10 men's school records and two
women's records in three days at the CAC
championships. Sophomore Mike Ferrari became the
first male swimmer in seven years to win an event at
the CAC championships. Drew Robichaud was named CAC
men's swimmer of the week for the week of January
21. For the first time in the history of the
program, the Sea Gulls swept Catholic University.
Stephenson had 16 member of her squad named to the
2007-2008 CAC All-Academic Team.
The 2006-07 men's team
finished in third place at the Capital Athletic
Conference championships, the highest any SU men's
team has finished at the CAC championships and broke
seven school records in the process. The women's
team came in fifth at the CAC championships. Both
the men's and women's teams posted 4-4 records in
CAC competition in 2006-07.
Salisbury has captured
several individual awards in recent seasons,
including three conference awards in 2001. Brendan
Roddy was the CAC Male Swimmer of the Year; senior
Rebecca Mitchell was the CAC Female Swimmer of the
Year; and Stephenson was named by her peers as the
CAC Women's Coach of the Year. The SU women set a
new school record for victories in 2001 with a 7-2
overall mark and registered their best showing in
the CAC Championship with a second place finish.
In addition, the Sea Gulls
earned another milestone as Mitchell became the
first female in team history to compete at the NCAA
Championship Meet in 2001.
Under Stephenson's
leadership, the men's team registered its best-ever
CAC record in 2002 with a 5-2 league record.
The men's and women's teams
have virtually rewritten the Sea Gull record book
during Stephenson's tenure with over 100 new records
since 1995. In addition, under her tutelage,
Salisbury produced its first all-American swimmer in
1998 as Chris Bembenek earned honorable mention
status in two events at the NCAA Championships.
Eight Sea Gull swimmers have met provisional
qualifying times for the national championship
during the past six seasons.
In addition to her duties
as the Salisbury men's and women's coach, Stephenson
also works as SU's aquatics director, overseeing
teaching and community programs, and as assistant
athletics director.
Prior to coming to
Salisbury, the Monroe, Mich., native spent six years
as the head coach of the men's and women's swimming
and cross country teams at Olivet (MI) College. In
addition to her coaching duties, Stephenson served
as an assistant professor in the Department of
Health, Physical Education and Human Performance,
served as aquatics director and was assistant
athletics director overseeing the women's athletics
program.
In 1992, Stephenson joined
the American Red Cross as its emergency and health
services director for the Calhoun County Chapter in
Battle Creek, Mich. While working for the Red Cross,
she remained active in swimming as an adjunct
faculty member in aquatics at Kellogg Community
College and also coached at several camps and
clinics throughout the Midwest.
Stephenson earned her
Bachelor of Science in physical education from
Northern Michigan University in 1983, where she was
a four-year swimming letterwinner and received her
master's in sports management from Southern Illinois
University in 1986. In addition to working as an
assistant coach at her alma mater for one season,
Stephenson served as an assistant coach at Southern
Illinois for two years prior to joining the staff at
Olivet College.
Coach Stephenson's Record
at SU
| Year
|
|
|
Men's
Record |
|
|
Women's
Record |
|
|
Highlight
|
| 1995-96
|
|
|
2-6, 2-5 CAC
|
|
|
4-6, 3-5 CAC
|
|
|
Men 5th in CAC,
Women 6th in CAC |
| 1996-97
|
|
|
1-6, 1-5 CAC
|
|
|
3-5-1, 2-4-1 CAC
|
|
|
|
| 1997-98
|
|
|
2-6, 2-4 CAC
|
|
|
5-5, 4-3 CAC
|
|
|
Men 4th in CAC,
Women 4th in CAC
|
| 1998-99
|
|
|
3-5, 3-3 CAC
|
|
|
5-5, 4-3 CAC
|
|
|
Men 4th in CAC,
Women 4th in CAC
|
| 1999-2000
|
|
|
4-4, 4-2 CAC
|
|
|
6-4, 5-2 CAC
|
|
|
Men 4th in CAC,
Women 3rd in CAC
|
| 2000-01
|
|
|
3-4, 3-3 CAC
|
|
|
7-2, 6-1 CAC
|
|
|
Men 5th in CAC,
Women 2nd in CAC
|
| 2001-02
|
|
|
5-4, 5-2 CAC
|
|
|
6-4, 5-2 CAC
|
|
|
Men 4th in CAC,
Women 4th in CAC
|
| 2002-03
|
|
|
3-6, 3-4 CAC
|
|
|
3-7, 2-5 CAC
|
|
|
Men 6th in CAC,
Women 7th in CAC
|
| 2003-04
|
|
|
3-6, 3-4 CAC
|
|
|
5-5, 4-3 CAC
|
|
|
Men 7th in CAC,
Women 6th in CAC
|
| 2004-05
|
|
|
5-6, 3-4 CAC
|
|
|
7-4, 5-2 CAC
|
|
|
Men 5th in CAC,
Women 6th in CAC
|
| 2005-06
|
|
|
5-4, 3-2 CAC
|
|
|
5-4, 3-2 CAC
|
|
|
Men 4th in CAC,
Women 5th in CAC
|
| 2006-07
|
|
|
5-6, 4-4 CAC
|
|
|
5-6, 4-4 CAC
|
|
|
Men 3rd in CAC,
Women 5th in CAC
|
| 2007-08
|
|
|
7-4, 4-2 CAC
|
|
|
6-5, 3-3 CAC
|
|
|
Men 3rd in CAC,
Women 4th in CAC
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Total:
|
|
|
48-67,
40-44 CAC
(13 seasons)
|
|
|
67-62-1,
50-39-1 CAC
(13 seasons)
|
|
|
1 CAC Women's 2nd
place finish,
2 CAC Men's 3rd place finishes
|
