University of Connecticut Athletics
Four Huskies Named NSCA Strength & Conditioning All-Americans
4/29/2022 11:32:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey, Men's Track and Field, Women's Swimming and Diving, Women's Track and Field
Colorado Springs, CO – The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) is proud to announce UConn seniors Marc Gatcomb (Woburn, Mass.) of men's hockey, Katelyn Walsh (Lagrangeville, N.Y.) of women's swimming, and Benjamin Grosse (Wayzata, Minn.) and Taylor Woods (Marlboro, Md.) of track & field have been named 2022 All-American Athlete Strength and Conditioning Athletes of the Year Award recipients. This award recognizes these four student-athletes' athletic accomplishments and dedication to strength and conditioning.
Gatcomb was a member of the Huskies' leadership this past season, serving as alternate captain. He finished the year fourth on the team in scoring with 21 points on eight goals and 13 assists, all career-high marks. He was a +6 on the year and defensively, had 17 blocked shots. During his four-year UConn career, Gatcomb appeared in 124 games finishing with 46 points on 22 goals and 24 assists. At the end of the season he signed a one-year deal for 2022-23 with the Abbotsford Canucks of the AHL, the top-affiliate of the NHL's Vancouver Canucks.
"Marc has always stood out in strength & conditioning since coming to campus. As a senior alternate captain he is ranked #1 on the team holding two team records in performance testing. He has shown consistent growth each year and not only makes himself better, but those around him as well. Marc is the athlete that is always working, embracing training and understanding the process. It is no surprise that he holds a leadership position within the team because he is always looking to raise the bar and elevate the standards." - Maureen Butler, Assistant Director of Athletics for Olympic Sports Performance
In her senior year, Walsh was one of the strongest swimmers for the Huskies. Walsh helped lead UConn to a 6-3 overall record and a 2-1 conference record with their only loss coming to eventual Big East Champion Villanova. Specializing in breaststroke, Walsh was a constant top three finisher in individual events during dual meets and was a constant member of the relay teams. Walsh's dual meet success was highlighted during senior day when she broke the longstanding pool record for the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:02.18. Following her regular season success, Walsh looked to finish her senior season strong with competitive swims at Big East Championships. At the Big East championships, Walsh finished eight in the 200 IM, was crowned Big East champion in the 100 Breaststroke, second place in the 200 breaststroke, and a medalist in the Husky relays.
"Katelyn's impeccable work ethic has helped her achieve high levels of success both in the weight room and in the pool. She is a two-time conference champion, holds school records in the 100 and 200yd Breaststroke as well as 200 and 400yd Medley. She is currently ranked #2 overall in Sports Performance testing. Katelyn's drive was demonstrated early in her athletic career leading to two leadership awards earned during her freshman year. Her commitment to push the standard has made her an exemplary leader on the team." - Kyle Cusson, Strength and Conditioning Assistant
Grosse was named a team captain for the 2022 indoor and outdoor seasons. An accomplished multi-event athlete, he has four career wins in the heptathlon. He was the 2022 IC4A Champion in the heptathlon and won the bronze at the BIG EAST Indoor Championship. Gross won silver in the decathlon at the 2021 BIG EAST Outdoor Championship in helping lead the Huskies to the 2022 team championship in their return to the conference. He won gold at the 2019 IC4A and New England Indoor championships in the heptathlon.
"Ben brings a passion, excitement, competitive fire and energy into the weight room that is second to none. His consistency with these traits is unlike many I've ever seen. He is unwavering, daily, regardless of the time of year or focus of the programing. It is infectious and inspiring. In addition to Ben's consistent passion, work ethic and energy towards his own training, he also leads, motivates and supports his teammates. Ben upholds and raises the standards of our program by challenging himself as well as challenging and supporting those around him regularly. He contributes a great deal towards making the environment and the team better. As a strength and conditioning coach, if I could write out both my ideal approach to training and characteristics for a collegiate student-athlete, it would sound a lot like Ben." - Michael Rozzi, Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach
Woods concluded her UConn career during the 2022 indoor season and served as a team captain the past two seasons. She owns 11 career long jump victories and three career relay wins. Woods is the UConn School Record holder in the long jump, indoors, and capped off her stellar career as the 2022 BIG EAST Indoor Champion in the long jump. Last spring, Woods won gold in the long jump and scored in the 100 meter dash at the 2021 BIG EAST Outdoor Championship. She won the bronze medal at the 2019 AAC Outdoor Championship in the long jump.
"Taylor is one of the most talented and gritty student-athletes that I have ever coached. The more important aspect of that compliment is her grit and desire match her talent. The first day she walked into our weight room and saw our Strength & Conditioning Recognition board, she told me her name will be up there. Despite battling through injuries her entire career, she was right. her name has been on that board…multiple times. Taylor has been voted a team captain five times throughout her career at UConn. The character traits that one would associate with a 5x team captain are not limited to the track. Taylor brings those same traits into the weight room. She brings desire, work ethic, and leadership both by example and vocally. She consistently pushes herself while motivating and supporting her teammates. Taylor has played a vital role in elevating this program's standards and expectations in many ways, including how it approaches training." - Michael Rozzi, Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach
About the National Strength & Conditioning Association
Founded in 1978, The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) is a nonprofit association dedicated to advancing the strength and conditioning and related sport science professions around the world.
The NSCA exists to empower a community of professionals to maximize their impact through disseminating evidence- based knowledge and its practical application by offering industry-leading certifications, research journals, career development services, networking opportunities, and continuing education. The NSCA community is composed of more than 60,000 members and certified professionals throughout the world who further industry standards as researchers, educators, strength and conditioning coaches, performance and sport scientists, personal trainers, tactical professionals, and other related roles.
Players Mentioned
