James Madison University Women's Swimming

Benson said. "We compete a tough schedule every year because we have a quality program with good divers who deserve to test their talents against the best."   In eight seasons at JMU, Benson has taken the Dukes' diving program to unprecedented heights. She's won sixth straight CAA Diving Coach of the Year awards from 2010-2015 and has sent divers to the NCAA Zone A Qualifying meet in each of her eight seasons. Under her direction, Madison divers have posted the top eight scores in program history in the one-meter dive and eight of the top nine scores all-time in the three-meter event. In 2014-2015, Benson lead the program to another successful season with three top four finishes at the CAA Championships and two top 11 finishes at NCAA Zone A Championships. Redshirt sophomore Taryn McLaughlin was named CAA Diver of year and Most Outstanding Diver of the CAA Championships after winning both the one-meter and three-meter events. McLaughlin, Lehman and Alexander competed in the NCAA Zone A Championships finishing the meet with top 11  finishes by McLaughlin and Lehman joined by a 36th finish by Alexander.  Benson was named CAA Women's Diving Coach of the Year for the sixth conscecutive season.   In 2013-14, Benson's program continued to soar. Redshirt freshman Taryn McLaughlin led the way as she won both CAA Diver and Rookie Diver of the Year accolades after winning both the one-meter and three-meter diving events at the conference championship meet. The rookie posted the second-highest score in program history on both boards, including a CAA Championship meet record 373.85 in the three-meter event. McLaughlin was joined by teammates Alex Savage, Olivia Lehman and Carly Alexander at the NCAA Zone A meet.   In 2012, JMU's diving team swept the CAA's major awards with Benson claiming her fourth straight CAA Diving Coach of the Year accolade. She coached senior Nicole Jotso to the Diver of the Year honor and helped freshman Alex Savage earn CAA Rookie Diver of the Year honors. The Dukes swept both diving events on their way to winning the program's sixth Colonial Athletic Association Championship. Madison placed four of the top seven finishers in the three-meter event with junior Kim Helfrich taking the top medalist spot. On the one-meter board, Jotso claimed first with JMU placing five of the top seven finishers overall.   In 2011, Benson's divers took the program a step further. Nicole Jotso became the first JMU diver since Amanda Kuehl in 1995-95 to win the three-meter at the CAA Championships. The Dukes placed four divers in the top six in that event while taking four of the top eight spots in the one-meter board. At the NCAA Zone Qualifying meet, Kimberly Helfrich finished in the top-five in both events to become the first member of the JMU swimming and diving team to qualify for the NCAA Championships. She finished 24th and 28th in the one-meter and three-meter boards, respectively, at the NCAA Championships. The success reached new levels in 2009-2010 for Benson as she was honored as the CAA Diving Coach of the Year.  Junior Jessie Everett and sophomore Nicole Jotso each earned a pair of All-CAA honors with second- and third-place finishes, respectively, in both diving events at the CAA championships.  Everett broke both JMU school records, becoming the first JMU diver ever to break 300.00 in six dives on the one-meter board (323.60) along with a score of 325.50 on the three-meter board.  Benson placed all four of her divers (Everett, Jotso, freshman Kimberly Helfrich, and sophomore Chelsea Savage) in the top six at the CAA Championships.  All four qualified for the NCAA Zone A Qualifying meet.  All four advanced to the finals of the one-meter competition while two reached the finals of the three-meter board.  Helfrich was also later honored as the CAA Rookie Diver of the Year. In 2008-09, her squad of two freshmen and one sophomore were consistent point scorers in dual meets all season for the Dukes.  Freshman Nicole Jotso broke both school records with a 288.00 in the one-meter board and the first ever six-dive score over 300.00 at JMU with a 312.38 in the three-meter. Jessica Everett posted the second-best dive in school history with a 280.95 in the one-meter and third with a 293.75 in the three-meter.  Each was honored during the season as CAA Diver of the Week and went on to qualify for the NCAA Zone A meet. In her first season in 2007-08, Benson coached senior Jamie Coyle to significant improvement.  With previous personal record marks under 200 in both events, Coyle went on to break the school record in the one-meter with a 268.20 and ranks eighth in JMU history with a 253.50 in the three-meter.  Coyle went on to qualify for the NCAA Zone A meet for the first time. Benson came to JMU from North Carolina State University, where she served as the interim head diving coach in 2006-07.  While with the Wofpack, she had six out of seven divers qualify for the NCAA Zone B Qualifying meet.  One male placed third on the one-meter at the ACC Championships and was named All-ACC and one female placed third on the platform event.   Benson was hired by the Wolfpack after two years as head coach at Broughton High School in Raleigh.  Other coaching stops included North Hills Club in Raleigh, North Carolina Aquatics Club in Chapel Hill, Jordan High School in Durham, Alabama Diving Club, Los Angeles Diving Team in California, and UCLA. Benson was a diver at the University of South Carolina from 1982-1985.  In her freshman season with the Gamecocks, she was the National Independent Conference three-meter champion.  Benson was named the Metro Conference Diver of the Year in 1984 and was an NCAA semifinalist.   After USC, Benson went on to earn her bachelors degree in Sports/Fitness Management from the University of Alabama in 1988.  She earned a masters degree in Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management from North Carolina State in 1999. Coaching Highlights  1 NCAA National Championship Qualifier 17 NCAA Zone A Qualifiers  9 CAA Conference Champions  5 CAA Conference Divers of the Year  4 CAA Conference Rookies of the Year  6 CAA Conference Coach of the Year

Pedersen  enters his second season at the helm of the James Madison swimming and diving team after leading the Dukes to their sixth consecutive top-two finish at the Colonial Athletic Association Championships in his first season as head coach of the program. Under his leadership, the Dukes went undefeated in dual meet competitions with a 7-0 record in 2016-15. At the 2016 CAA Championships he coached the Dukes to 14 podium finishes, nine NCAA B Cut times and six new school records.    Pedersen was   promoted from interim head coach to head coach on April 23, 2015.   "I am pleased to appoint Dane Pedersen to a multi-year contract as head coach over our women's swimming and diving program, Director of Athletics Jeff Bourne said. He shares our commitment to student-athlete well-being and maximizing their development academically and athletically.  Most of all, he is fully supportive of their social development and ability to serve as leaders in their chosen profession after graduating from Madison.   Before serving as interim head coach in 2014-15, Pedersen worked with the Dukes as an assistant coach for seven seasons, serving as an integral part in building JMUs program into the perennial contender that it is today.   I am excited and honored to be able to lead the JMU swimming and diving program in the upcoming years, Pedersen said. JMU is such a special place, and I feel very blessed to be a part of this program. I want to thank Mr. Bourne and Mrs. Phillips for the opportunity and for their support in my role as head coach. I also would like to thank my family for the endless and unconditional love they provide.   In the 2014-15 season, the Dukes notched their third-straight runner-up finish at CAA Championships after racking up an 8-3 dual meet record during the regular season and beating seven consecutive opponents after the opening meet of the year.   At the CAA Championships this year, JMU took home nine individual All-CAA honors and had four of its five relay teams earn medals. The Dukes capped the championships with a meet-record time in the 400 freestyle relay, en route to the gold medal. JMU added in a trio of NCAA B-cut times on the weekend, as junior Camilla Czulada earned one in the 100 freestyle and senior Sin Hye Won met the criteria in both the 100 and 200 breaststroke.   Pedersen was integral in helping JMU win the program's sixth Colonial Athletic Association Championship in 2012. The Dukes dominated the nine-team event, finishing with 771 points, 146 more than their nearest competitor. Madison swimmers set 15 school records, including two CAA marks, and won eight total events in the four-day meet.    In his first season in the purple and gold, Pedersen helped the Dukes turnaround from one win the previous season to an 8-4 record in dual meets and a seventh-place finish in the CAA meet.  JMU broke nine school records, including eight in swimming events.   The 2008-09 campaign saw more success with another 8-4 mark and a fifth-place showing in the CAA championship meet.  Fourteen school records fell, including 12 in the pool and all five relay races. JMU continued its climb in Pedersen's third season.  The Dukes achieved a third-place finish in the CAA meet and went 7-2 in dual meets.  Eight school records fell and JMU claimed nine All-CAA honors at the league meet.  JMU also posted a pair of NCAA B qualifying marks at the CAA meet.  One came in the 200 medley relay, the first relay NCAA cut in program history.  The other came from freshman Andrea Criscuolo, who was also named the CAA Rookie Swimmer of the Year and a Mid-Major All-American. Pedersen assisted JMU in reaching new heights in 2010-11 as they went 10-4 in dual meets and finished second at the CAA Championships. JMU broke nine individual school swimming records during the year and also set new marks in four of the five relays. Four Dukes were named Mid-Major All-America honorable mentions and junior Eva Hannesdottir was the CAA champion in the 100-yard freestyle. Academically, the Dukes have received NCAA APR recognition for performing in the top 10% of all Division I programs during each of Pedersen's two seasons in Harrisonburg.   Pedersen competed four years for the University of Missouri of the Big XII Conference from 1999 to 2003.  In his first two seasons, he set school records in the 1,000- and 1,650-meter freestyles.  His marks currently rank third all-time in both events.  Pedersen was named Big XII All-Conference in three of his four seasons and was a four-year member of the All-Academic squad.   After his collegiate career, Pedersen remained in Columbia as a graduate assistant for the Tigers swimming program from 2004 to 2007.  Both the mens and womens programs were ranked in the top 25 during his tenure.  In his first season, three school records fell.  By his third season in 2006-07, 26 school records were broken.  In addition, three athletes reached the NCAA cuts in year one, whereas 19 made the cut in his third season.  Pedersen worked primarily with the distance and middle-distance swimmers while also assisting in all areas of recruiting.   I feel so fortunate to work with such an amazing group of women who teach me so much every day, Pedersen said. Coaching them is the best part of my day and I am excited to be their coach for years to come. This team has many exciting, new challenges ahead of them and I cant wait to conquer them together alongside an amazing staff in Becky and Jacy. Go Dukes!   Originally from Brandon, Mississippi, Pedersen graduated from the University of Missouri in 2004 with bachelors degrees in English and communications.  He went on to receive his masters from UM in English education in 2007. Dane Pedersen Head Coach     Dane Pedersen  enters his second season at the helm of the James Madison swimming and diving team after leading the Dukes to their sixth consecutive top-two finish at the Colonial Athletic Association Championships in his first season as head coach of the program. Under his leadership, the Dukes went undefeated in dual meet competitions with a 7-0 record in 2016-15. At the 2016 CAA Championships he coached the Dukes to 14 podium finishes, nine NCAA B Cut times and six new school records.    Pedersen was   promoted from interim head coach to head coach on April 23, 2015.   "I am pleased to appoint Dane Pedersen to a multi-year contract as head coach over our women's swimming and diving program, Director of Athletics Jeff Bourne said. He shares our commitment to student-athlete well-being and maximizing their development academically and athletically.  Most of all, he is fully supportive of their social development and ability to serve as leaders in their chosen profession after graduating from Madison.   Before serving as interim head coach in 2014-15, Pedersen worked with the Dukes as an assistant coach for seven seasons, serving as an integral part in building JMUs program into the perennial contender that it is today.   I am excited and honored to be able to lead the JMU swimming and diving program in the upcoming years, Pedersen said. JMU is such a special place, and I feel very blessed to be a part of this program. I want to thank Mr. Bourne and Mrs. Phillips for the opportunity and for their support in my role as head coach. I also would like to thank my family for the endless and unconditional love they provide.   In the 2014-15 season, the Dukes notched their third-straight runner-up finish at CAA Championships after racking up an 8-3 dual meet record during the regular season and beating seven consecutive opponents after the opening meet of the year.   At the CAA Championships this year, JMU took home nine individual All-CAA honors and had four of its five relay teams earn medals. The Dukes capped the championships with a meet-record time in the 400 freestyle relay, en route to the gold medal. JMU added in a trio of NCAA B-cut times on the weekend, as junior Camilla Czulada earned one in the 100 freestyle and senior Sin Hye Won met the criteria in both the 100 and 200 breaststroke.   Pedersen was integral in helping JMU win the program's sixth Colonial Athletic Association Championship in 2012. The Dukes dominated the nine-team event, finishing with 771 points, 146 more than their nearest competitor. Madison swimmers set 15 school records, including two CAA marks, and won eight total events in the four-day meet.    In his first season in the purple and gold, Pedersen helped the Dukes turnaround from one win the previous season to an 8-4 record in dual meets and a seventh-place finish in the CAA meet.  JMU broke nine school records, including eight in swimming events.   The 2008-09 campaign saw more success with another 8-4 mark and a fifth-place showing in the CAA championship meet.  Fourteen school records fell, including 12 in the pool and all five relay races. JMU continued its climb in Pedersen's third season.  The Dukes achieved a third-place finish in the CAA meet and went 7-2 in dual meets.  Eight school records fell and JMU claimed nine All-CAA honors at the league meet.  JMU also posted a pair of NCAA B qualifying marks at the CAA meet.  One came in the 200 medley relay, the first relay NCAA cut in program history.  The other came from freshman Andrea Criscuolo, who was also named the CAA Rookie Swimmer of the Year and a Mid-Major All-American. Pedersen assisted JMU in reaching new heights in 2010-11 as they went 10-4 in dual meets and finished second at the CAA Championships. JMU broke nine individual school swimming records during the year and also set new marks in four of the five relays. Four Dukes were named Mid-Major All-America honorable mentions and junior Eva Hannesdottir was the CAA champion in the 100-yard freestyle. Academically, the Dukes have received NCAA APR recognition for performing in the top 10% of all Division I programs during each of Pedersen's two seasons in Harrisonburg.   Pedersen competed four years for the University of Missouri of the Big XII Conference from 1999 to 2003.  In his first two seasons, he set school records in the 1,000- and 1,650-meter freestyles.  His marks currently rank third all-time in both events.  Pedersen was named Big XII All-Conference in three of his four seasons and was a four-year member of the All-Academic squad.   After his collegiate career, Pedersen remained in Columbia as a graduate assistant for the Tigers swimming program from 2004 to 2007.  Both the mens and womens programs were ranked in the top 25 during his tenure.  In his first season, three school records fell.  By his third season in 2006-07, 26 school records were broken.  In addition, three athletes reached the NCAA cuts in year one, whereas 19 made the cut in his third season.  Pedersen worked primarily with the distance and middle-distance swimmers while also assisting in all areas of recruiting.   I feel so fortunate to work with such an amazing group of women who teach me so much every day, Pedersen said. Coaching them is the best part of my day and I am excited to be their coach for years to come. This team has many exciting, new challenges ahead of them and I cant wait to conquer them together alongside an amazing staff in Becky and Jacy. Go Dukes!   Originally from Brandon, Mississippi, Pedersen graduated from the University of Missouri in 2004 with bachelors degrees in English and communications.  He went on to receive his masters from UM in English education in 2007. Dane Pedersen Head Coach     Dane Pedersen  enters his second season at the helm of the James Madison swimming and diving team after leading the Dukes to their sixth consecutive top-two finish at the Colonial Athletic Association Championships in his first season as head coach of the program. Under his leadership, the Dukes went undefeated in dual meet competitions with a 7-0 record in 2016-15. At the 2016 CAA Championships he coached the Dukes to 14 podium finishes, nine NCAA B Cut times and six new school records.    Pedersen was   promoted from interim head coach to head coach on April 23, 2015.   "I am pleased to appoint Dane Pedersen to a multi-year contract as head coach over our women's swimming and diving program, Director of Athletics Jeff Bourne said. He shares our commitment to student-athlete well-being and maximizing their development academically and athletically.  Most of all, he is fully supportive of their social development and ability to serve as leaders in their chosen profession after graduating from Madison.   Before serving as interim head coach in 2014-15, Pedersen worked with the Dukes as an assistant coach for seven seasons, serving as an integral part in building JMUs program into the perennial contender that it is today.   I am excited and honored to be able to lead the JMU swimming and diving program in the upcoming years, Pedersen said. JMU is such a special place, and I feel very blessed to be a part of this program. I want to thank Mr. Bourne and Mrs. Phillips for the opportunity and for their support in my role as head coach. I also would like to thank my family for the endless and unconditional love they provide.   In the 2014-15 season, the Dukes notched their third-straight runner-up finish at CAA Championships after racking up an 8-3 dual meet record during the regular season and beating seven consecutive opponents after the opening meet of the year.   At the CAA Championships this year, JMU took home nine individual All-CAA honors and had four of its five relay teams earn medals. The Dukes capped the championships with a meet-record time in the 400 freestyle relay, en route to the gold medal. JMU added in a trio of NCAA B-cut times on the weekend, as junior Camilla Czulada earned one in the 100 freestyle and senior Sin Hye Won met the criteria in both the 100 and 200 breaststroke.   Pedersen was integral in helping JMU win the program's sixth Colonial Athletic Association Championship in 2012. The Dukes dominated the nine-team event, finishing with 771 points, 146 more than their nearest competitor. Madison swimmers set 15 school records, including two CAA marks, and won eight total events in the four-day meet.    In his first season in the purple and gold, Pedersen helped the Dukes turnaround from one win the previous season to an 8-4 record in dual meets and a seventh-place finish in the CAA meet.  JMU broke nine school records, including eight in swimming events.   The 2008-09 campaign saw more success with another 8-4 mark and a fifth-place showing in the CAA championship meet.  Fourteen school records fell, including 12 in the pool and all five relay races. JMU continued its climb in Pedersen's third season.  The Dukes achieved a third-place finish in the CAA meet and went 7-2 in dual meets.  Eight school records fell and JMU claimed nine All-CAA honors at the league meet.  JMU also posted a pair of NCAA B qualifying marks at the CAA meet.  One came in the 200 medley relay, the first relay NCAA cut in program history.  The other came from freshman Andrea Criscuolo, who was also named the CAA Rookie Swimmer of the Year and a Mid-Major All-American. Pedersen assisted JMU in reaching new heights in 2010-11 as they went 10-4 in dual meets and finished second at the CAA Championships. JMU broke nine individual school swimming records during the year and also set new marks in four of the five relays. Four Dukes were named Mid-Major All-America honorable mentions and junior Eva Hannesdottir was the CAA champion in the 100-yard freestyle. Academically, the Dukes have received NCAA APR recognition for performing in the top 10% of all Division I programs during each of Pedersen's two seasons in Harrisonburg.   Pedersen competed four years for the University of Missouri of the Big XII Conference from 1999 to 2003.  In his first two seasons, he set school records in the 1,000- and 1,650-meter freestyles.  His marks currently rank third all-time in both events.  Pedersen was named Big XII All-Conference in three of his four seasons and was a four-year member of the All-Academic squad.   After his collegiate career, Pedersen remained in Columbia as a graduate assistant for the Tigers swimming program from 2004 to 2007.  Both the mens and womens programs were ranked in the top 25 during his tenure.  In his first season, three school records fell.  By his third season in 2006-07, 26 school records were broken.  In addition, three athletes reached the NCAA cuts in year one, whereas 19 made the cut in his third season.  Pedersen worked primarily with the distance and middle-distance swimmers while also assisting in all areas of recruiting.   I feel so fortunate to work with such an amazing group of women who teach me so much every day, Pedersen said. Coaching them is the best part of my day and I am excited to be their coach for years to come. This team has many exciting, new challenges ahead of them and I cant wait to conquer them together alongside an amazing staff in Becky and Jacy. Go Dukes!   Originally from Brandon, Mississippi, Pedersen graduated from the University of Missouri in 2004 with bachelors degrees in English and communications.  He went on to receive his masters from UM in English education in 2007.

Dyer  enters her third season as an associate women's swimming coach at James Madison. James Madison named Dyer an associate women's swimming coach on July 16, 2014. Since joining the program, Dyer has helped the Dukes to a 15-3 record in dual meets while guiding JMU to back-to-back, second-place finishes at the Colonial Athletics Association Championships, the fifth and sixth consecutive top-two finishes for the program. During 2016 CAA Championships, Dyer coached the squad to 14 podium finihses, nine NCAA B Cut times and six new school records. Dyer comes to JMU after three years as the assistant swimming coach with Toledo women's swimming and diving program. In her three seasons, Dyer managed much of the operations for the Rockets while also handling her day-to-day coaching and recruiting duties. She has also served as head coach at Toledo Country Club and an assistant coach at Hardin Valley High School and Robindale Woods Swim Club. "We're thrilled to have Jacy be a member of our swimming and diving team here at JMU," Pedersen said. "She's bringing a great balance of energy, new ideas, work ethic and passion for the sport to contribute to our staff and to our athletes. She's already here working extremely hard for the team and for the program and we're excited to move forward with this season." Prior to coaching at Toledo, Dyer was a standout performer in the pool for the Rockets, setting school records in the 200, 500, 1,000 and 1,650 freestyle and swimming for a pair of relay teams, the 400 freestyle and 800 freestyle, that also set school marks. Her times in the 500, 1,000 and 1,650 freestyle were also conference records. After being named to the All-MAC Second Team as a freshman, she earned First Team All-MAC honors in each of her remaining three seasons at Toledo. "I'm so excited to join the team here at JMU and be a part of what Coach Pedersen and the staff have already built here," Dyer said. "I'm very thankful for this opportunity and I'm looking forward to this season." Dyer graduated from Toledo in 2011 with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and was born in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. She joins a JMU program that has finished in the top two each of the last four years at the Colonial Athletic Association Championships and took home the team title in 2012.