Nantucket senior Emily Dussault signed her national letter of intent to join Merrimack College’s Div. I swimming program Monday morning. She is the second woman’s swimmer to sign on with a Div. I college swim and dive program this year, with senior Emma Davis committing to Sacred Heart University last month.
“I am super excited to swim for Merrimack next year and everything about the school stood out to me,” Dussault said. “I love how welcoming the team was and the atmosphere on campus. I would just like to thank my coaches, teammates and my family for always supporting me and helping me stay positive. I wouldn’t be the athlete or person I am today without them. This whole experience has been wonderful and I am so grateful and excited to be swimming for Merrimack next year.”
Head coach Jim Pignato said he thinks Merrimack College is a great fit for Dussault as a swimmer and that they don’t have a large enough team where she could find herself lost in the mix.
“I think she will be able to really find a home in that program,” he said. “Any swimmer coming out of Nantucket I feel is given the base to excel in college if that is what they choose to do. Following those disciplines and regimens of a college program, every swimmer on our team has that ability and that base to do that. I think Emily will thrive in that program. Her times fit well there and her potential for growth is really great.”
Pignato said he loves coaching Dussault. He said he has enjoyed seeing the growth in her from when she was younger compared to now.
“She is just a great kid,” he said. “It’s funny as a younger swimmer and as a practice swimmer she would complain about sets and give you the humming and hawing, some eye rolls, but she has just really embraced hard sets over the past couple seasons. She has gotten a taste of what it takes to be really good and she is consistently striving for that.”
