Swimming & Diving: Stark, standout swimmer and 14-time GNAC Champion, named 2024 GNAC Athlete of the Year for Men's Sports

WINTHROP, Mass. - Benjamin Stark (Montverde, Fla.), one of the most storied swimmers in Norwich University swimming & diving history, became the first student-athlete in school history to be named the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Athlete of the Year for Men's Sports, as announced by the GNAC on Monday afternoon.

Stark was a standout in the pool for the Cadets over his four-year career, prior to graduating this past May.  The 3.58 electrical and computer engineering major became Norwich's first student-athlete to win a conference Man of the Year honor since the award's inception, and the second student-athlete ever from Norwich to garner a GNAC Athlete of the Year nod, joining Emily Oliver '19, who received GNAC Woman of the Year plaudits in 2019.

As the GNAC Athlete of the Year, Stark will also be the conference nominee for the Division III Commissioners Association (D3CA) Men's Sport Student-Athlete of the Year.  Throughout the past season, Stark truly embodied the spirit of leadership and excellence, both as a team captain and standout individual in the realm of collegiate swimming and academics.  His remarkable achievements included excelling in multiple arenas, showcasing his prowess in the aquatic world, maintaining an impressive academic record, and demonstrating commendable leadership skills.

"On behalf of the Athletic Department, and everyone at Norwich University, I would like to congratulate Ben Stark on receiving this incredible recognition," said Norwich Director of Athletics Ed Hockenbury.  "Ben is the model of what we want our student-athletes to strive for here at Norwich, as an athlete, a student, and as a member of our Corps of Cadets. He put his all into every aspect of his life during his time at Norwich, and the entire time conducted himself with honor and integrity. We are so proud of Ben, we are grateful for all he has done for us, and we very much appreciate the GNAC recognizing him as its Man of the Year."

Stark was a two-time College Sports Communicators (CSC) All-District Team honoree for 2023 and 2024, which is a testament to his outstanding commitment to sports and academics.  In addition, his academic brilliance and dedication earned him a place on the GNAC Academic All-Conference Team for three consecutive years, a remarkable achievement that speaks volumes about his discipline and determination.

Stark played a pivotal role in his team receiving the prestigious College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association (CSCAA) Scholar All-America Team accolade this summer, which reflects the team's collective academic and athletic dedication.  Following his illustrious season, Stark demonstrated his commitment to service by commissioning into the U.S. Navy as a Surface Warfare Officer for Nuke Placement on the USS Howard (DDG 83) in Japan, highlighting his patriotism and willingness to serve the country.

In addition to his athletic and academic achievements, Stark received notable recognition for his service and leadership through the Norwich's Tri-Service and Joint Service Awards.  One of his notable distinctions is The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, recognizing graduating seniors who display exceptional patriotism and community service.

As a valued member of the Norwich Corps of Cadets, Stark seamlessly blended his athletic commitments with leadership roles, serving as the Corps-Athletic liaison for the swimming and diving teams and holding command positions within the Corps structure.  Moreover, his engagement in summer cruises with the U.S. Navy exemplifies his dedication to military service.

"With many great nominees from the GNAC, I am pleased that the committee noted many of the qualities we witness in Benjamin," said Norwich men's and women's swimming & diving coach Jennifer Cournoyer.  "From day one, Ben brought an infectious love for the sport that lifted the team.  When Ben was in tough races, you knew there was no giving up; it was thrilling to watch.  Across campus, the landscape was the same.  I remember seeing him in a hallway, sitting between classes with his books open, utilizing every moment he had to be successful.  It wasn't just about his performance or grades but also about those around him lifting them up to succeed.  He embodies Norwich's motto, "I will try."  I am excited to see his pathway with the US Navy and beyond. He deserves this honor for his accomplishments representing Norwich and the GNAC."

Stark's name is indelibly inscribed in the annals of program history as one of the most outstanding collegiate swimmers.  His contribution to helping his team secure back-to-back conference championships has solidified his legacy.  His exceptional talent saw him clinching GNAC titles across 14 different events, both individual and relay races.  Particularly stellar was his performance in the 2023 season, where he dominated in seven title events, setting a GNAC record in the 500 freestyle in 2022 and breaking conference records in the 1650 freestyle and 400 freestyle relay in 2023.

Over his collegiate career, Stark became a beacon of athletic excellence and was named the GNAC Men's Rookie of the Year in 2022.  He also accumulated 13 GNAC Athlete/Swimmer of the Week honors, alongside seven Rookie of the Week awards.  His achievements stretched beyond the conference level, earning multiple New England Intercollegiate Swimming and Diving Association (NEISDA) honors and setting new program and pool records in an array of swimming events, showcasing his versatility and dominance in the pool.

Among his numerous accolades, Stark garnered team awards such as the team's Athlete of the Year for two years running and the Michael Zemanek Mental Toughness Award in his final season.  His groundbreaking participation in the CSCAA Collegiate Open Water National Championship, alongside teammate Martin Adlianitski (Cheshire, Conn.), marked a significant milestone for Norwich swimming.  Stark's extraordinary collegiate career was fittingly recognized when he was bestowed with the Norwich University Male Senior Athlete of the Year award at the 20th Annual Senior Athlete Recognition Luncheon in April, crowning a remarkable journey of athletic and academic excellence, coupled with distinguished service.

Stark will formally be presented the GNAC Man of the Year award at a later date to be determined.  The GNAC Athlete of the Year is selected by a committee of GNAC staff members following the NCAA Woman of the Year selection guidelines.  Once conference nominees are submitted, the commissioners will vote on the nominees within their region to select the 10 Student-Athlete of the Year regional honorees.  Those regional honorees will be eligible for selection as D3CA Student-Athlete of the Year.

Stark was one of eight finalists for this year's GNAC Man of the Year award.  The other nominees were Justice Washington of Albertus Magnus College men's basketball; Chase Adams of Colby-Sawyer College men's indoor/outdoor track & field; Luke Palmer of Dean College men's soccer; Donte Pope of Emmanuel College men's basketball; Patrick Carbone of Lasell University men's cross country and indoor/outdoor track & field; Will Wood of Saint Joseph's College of Maine men's soccer; and Trey McCann of University of Saint Joseph (Conn.) men's lacrosse.

Stark was asked to provide a personal statement to support his esteemed resume and discuss how their collegiate careers have shaped them, including through academics, achievements, service, and leadership.  Stark provided the following as his personal statement:

At Norwich I was fortunate to always have someone to learn from. The people I met, especially on the swim team guided and encouraged me to not just follow in their footsteps, but to find my own way and see what success looked like for me. Their example led to my success in academics, athletics, and beyond.  

For me being a student-athlete was a huge boon to my academic success as it was always made clear that my ability to train and compete would be limited if I faltered in the classroom. An immediate benefit of this academic success was it allowed me to pursue leadership positions in both the Corps of Cadets and on the swim team. In turn these leadership positions motivated me to accomplish more academically as I always wanted to set a positive example for my peers and teammates. Whether it was as a captain of the swim team or as one of the handful of roles I sampled in the corps of cadets, I always had the example of my friends and mentors who previously held those roles to look up to.

Swimming alone had a massive impact on me and how I wish to interact with the world. I swam for almost 18 years, and I loved every second of it. I loved the comradery of the team, I loved watching the team achieve its goals, I loved racing, I even loved the constant grind of training. More than this though I loved the effect swimming had on the trajectory of my life. On a personal level swimming taught me lessons like the importance of time management and discipline, success isn't given freely, and how to handle failure (repeatedly). More than this, swimming surrounded me with a group of talented hard-working people, who mentored and inspired me to work hard to achieve goals in and out of the pool. From going best times at swim meets to earning an NROTC scholarship, I owe my success to the guidance and support of those coaches and teammates who showed me the way.

In summary, my experience as not just a student-athlete but as a leader has left me motivated to continue becoming better, and hopefully to help people around me. I believe the experiences I have had and lessons I learned as a student athlete will help me do just that. Thank you to my coaches, teammates, and family for the support throughout my time in college, and thank you for the nomination.

The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is an NCAA Division III association made up of 16 member institutions and over 4000 student-athletes across the New England region.  Founded in 1995, the GNAC annually sponsors and administers 22 championships, while balancing academic integrity, athletic opportunity and community involvement in an effort to enhance the student-athlete experience.

The Division III Commissioners Association became a stand-alone organization in January 1992, after previously serving as a combined group with the Division II Commissioners Association.  The association is comprised of 43 NCAA Division III conferences, representing over 440 public and private institutions.  The purpose of the DIIICA is to empower commissioners to effectively lead their conferences and positively impact Division III intercollegiate athletics by identifying challenges, developing solutions, and taking collective action that reflects the conference perspective.