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NU'S PORTER SETS HIGH GOALS FOR NEW ENGLANDS FIRST IN THE SWIM

Author(s):    Bob Monahan, Globe Staff Date: December 15, 1987 Page: 84 Section: SPORTS

Northeastern women's swimming captain Linda Porter is a leader, plugger and doer. She is also confident enough to say, "I will place in three events in the New Englands."

Porter, who also was captain last season, has three specialties -- the backstroke, breaststroke and individual medley. In the last three New Englands, she earned points in the three events. In dual meets, she swims the 50, 100 and 200 backstroke, the 100 and 200 breaststroke and the individual IM. Porter started serious swimming when she was 12. "I attended Manchester Junior-Senior High School and we didn't have a swimming team," she said. "I competed my freshman and sophomore years as an individual in the states (she won the 100-yard backstroke twice) and then I changed my schedule.

"I used to work out at the Y in Gloucester, and Dan Warner was my coach. So I trained for Y events instead of high school events my junior and senior years in high school. I had some success."

She won the nationals as a backstroker -- that's when college coaches became aware of her.

"Linda was highly recruited and I'm so glad she picked Northeastern," said Janet Swanson, her current coach. "She liked the program, what was offered academically and she liked the idea of our co-op plan. She's been a leader in one way or another for four years."

The schedule of a swimmer isn't fun. Before the season, swimmers work out with weights and swim from 6-8 a.m. After class or work, the team will swim from either 4-6 p.m. or 6-8 p.m. Once the season starts, it's mostly all swimming and no weights.to help the team as much as possible.

"Overall I see us as a better team with good experience and good young people who are having fun. Right now I'd say that Maine and Boston College are our toughest rivals.

"Still, we hope to peak in February and March and we hope to win the New Englands (Feb. 19-21 at Holy Cross) and the ECACs at Springfield College the following week. If we keep improving every week, we can do it. That's our goal."

Porter is a serious but caring captain. "I try to talk to all the kids and get them going," she said. "Actually, it isn't all that hard. We're like a close family, and the younger girls are treated the same as the older ones. We're extra close and that's why I think we can have a successful year."

"Linda leads by example," said Swanson. "She works very hard. She gives 100 percent effort all the time and she's a great captain.

"The fact that she was captain last year and she's captain again this year tells you how her teammates respect her. She's a very hard worker and she's always trying to improve. She leads by doing."

The past three years in the New England championships, Porter has placed in three events in the backstroke and breaststroke.

"That's some feat," said Swanson. "She gets us plenty of points. Linda set our school record for the 50 backstroke in 30.29 but that was just broken by freshman Kathy Alexandre from Ivoryton, Conn., who did a 30.20.

"Linda was a highly sought-after swimmer. Other coaches and I recruited her hard. She's a local kid, she's a fine athlete and student and just a great person.

"She's excellent in the classroom, too. She's made the dean's list every marking period since she came here. She's certainly been a force for us."

Maine, the defending New England champion; Northeastern and BC are the preseason favorites in the New Englands this season. Does Northeastern have a chance to win them?

"I have to say that there is a possibility," said Swanson. "Maine has been dominating, but it lost some fine swimmers to graduation. We graduated only one. But I still see Maine being strong, and Boston College and Holy Cross will have excellent teams."

The New Englands are hard to project because there are 17 Division 1 teams and the points are spread out.

"You have to have depth," said Swanson. "A school can finish first in almost every event and still not win the title. It's those second- and third- place spots that usually determine the winner. And I like to think we have decent depth and some outstanding performers."

Diving coach Joe Chirico has two outstanding competitors. Michelle White of Arlington won the 1- and 3-meter events in the New Englands last season and qualified for the NCAAs; freshman Dana Kosimor of Westford was the state champ last year as well as a Globe All-Scholastic.

Swanson has a superb freestyler in Kathy Deignan of Framingham, who won the 200, 500 and 1,650 events in the New Englands a year ago. She also anchored the winning relay team. Swanson is extremely impressed by the junior, particularly the way she works to improve every day.

Seniors who make strong contributions include Christine DeSimone of Farmingham, N.Y., in the 500, 1,650 and individual medley, and Donna Jungbluth of Westford, who placed in the 100 and 200 breaststroke events in the New Englands last season.

"We have a courageous person in Sandy Peco from Pittsford, N.Y.," said Swanson. "About a month ago she was hit by a car. She didn't break anything, but she was sore all over. Right now she's back swimming and she's an example for all of us. She's working very hard and we all admire her." Peco swims the butterfly and the individual medley.

NU has 27 women on its team. And with the likes of Porter, White, Deignan, Jungbluth and Peco leading the way for a multi-talented group, there's no telling what the Huskies will accomplish this season.