STANDISH, Maine – Athletics Director Brian Curtin has announced that Margaret Howe has been hired as the head coach of the Saint Joseph's College men's and women's swimming program.
Howe comes to Saint Joseph's after coaching at various levels, including a stint at Boston College, where she served as a Masters Coach for nearly four seasons, and a year at Crimson Aquatics, a renowned Massachusetts club that has produced multiple Junior National Team members. She has also coached at the Little Rhody Aquatic Club and worked various camps and clinics.
Coach Howe also brings an impressive swimming résumé to the post, as she swam for four years under the watch of legendary Head Coach Tom Groden at Boston College, where she earned a pair of varsity letters while claiming Eagle Academic Award honors all four years with a pair of Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Honor Roll accolades.
"I am absolutely psyched to dive into the process of leading and developing the St. Joe's swim program," says Howe. "I am grateful to have the opportunity to join a great staff and excited to get started."
Howe graduated from Boston College in 2010 with a Bachelors of Arts in Communication and Theatre. A native of Lincoln, Rhode Island, Howe helped Lincoln High School capture a State Championship as a freshman and was selected as a team captain for the Lady Lions as a senior.
"We are thrilled to welcome Margaret to Saint Joseph's to lead our swimming program," adds Curtin. "Throughout the interview process it became clear that she has a passion for the sport and, as someone who demonstrates many of the College's key principles, will be a great fit as a member of our athletics staff. We are certain that her presence will lead to a quality experience for our student-athletes and look forward to witness the program's progression under her watch."
Coach Howe fills the position vacated by former Head Coach Rick Hayes, who left Saint Joseph's earlier this summer to accept the same post at University of New England. Hayes, who assumed leadership of a second-year program starting in the fall of 2008, served as the Monks' clipboard carrier for seven seasons. The 2012 GNAC Coach of the Year helped the team earn various accolades, including three CSCAA Team Scholar All-America honors and the prestigious NEISDA Steve Looke Award in 2012.
Saint Joseph's, which started competing as an NCAA DIII varsity program during the 2007-08 academic year, finished the 2014-15 season in the New England Intercollegiate Swimming and Diving Association (NEISDA) Championship at University of Rhode Island in mid-February. The SJC men placed 10th while the women finished 15th overall in the regional championship meet.
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Saint Joseph's College is Maine's only Catholic liberal arts college, providing a supportive, personalized and career-focused education for more than 100 years. From its 474-acre campus on the shores of Sebago Lake, the College offers more than 40 undergraduate programs to a population of approximately 1,000 students. Saint Joseph's College Online provides certificates, undergraduate and advanced degrees for working adults through an online learning program. For more, visit www.sjcme.edu.
