Ask women's swimming and diving head coach Nancy Bigelow what she considered the biggest highlight of the past month, and she'll bring up the team's Senior Day victory over MIT last Saturday. What she won't mention is the prestigious award she received on Jan. 20.
Bigelow was honored with the Heights Award, given out by the Massachusetts State Lottery and the Boston College Athletics Department at halftime of the BC women's basketball team's matchup with Wake Forest at Conte Forum.
The award, which came into existence two years ago, is given out at each of the Eagles' 16 home games to various individuals from all over the state.
The award recognizes Massachusetts residents who have been instrumental in the development and advancement of women's athletics at any level - whether it is starting a small-town softball league or coaching at the college ranks.
The BC Web site refers to these recipients as those who, "through influence or personal achievement, inspire girls and women."
One wouldn't get the impression of the magnitude of the award by talking to Bigelow, who is greatly appreciative of even being nominated for the award. She brushes the honor aside, however, knowing that her goal is not to rack up accolades, but instead to continue developing women's athletics.
"I have dedicated my entire life to promoting women's athletics and increasing the opportunities for women," Bigelow said. "When I was in college, Title IX was inactive, so I've been there since the beginning. I've seen the explosion of women's athletics - from seeing nobody or one or two women getting athletic scholarships, to now, where the number is close to the men's."
After receiving her B.A. from Penn State in 1975, Bigelow caught a break when she found openings for both the volleyball and fencing coaching positions at Wellesley. She assumed both roles and held them for four years before moving to swimming.
After going back to Penn State for graduate school, Bigelow was hired by Tufts in the fall of 1982 and has been the women's swimming coach ever since.
She believes that Tufts has been instrumental in allowing her to effectively spread the importance of women's athletics.
"I was fortunate that [former Athletic Director] Rocky Carzo really believed in women's athletics," she said. "Tufts has always been in the forefront to make the women's program the best it can be and at the level of the men's program. That was not the case in every athletic department in this country."
Swimming has been a significant part of Bigelow's life from childhood through her years at college, and it's still where her heart lies.
"I think in any sport you have to have a passion for what you do," Bigelow said. "It's something I enjoy because you really get to see kids improve at the collegiate level and watch them come together as team. It's fun to watch kids mature into contributing young adults, and it's what has kept me in this for 33 years. Watching them grow as human beings is very fulfilling."
Bigelow's hope is that she has engendered an environment not only for the growth of swimming talent, but character as well. The concept of a unified team goal has been stressed since day one and is permanently engrained in the athletes' minds. The concept of the individual has no place on her squad.
"All of us come together, and with her we create this unique experience," senior tri-captain Monika Burns said. "It's definitely more of a family atmosphere ... You don't swim for yourself, but rather your teammates."
Though she can be stern at times and frank with her comments, all of her swimmers know that she is doing it for the benefit of the team.
"She's great at motivating us," Burns said. "She's pretty vocal too, which is good because if there is something that needs to be changed, she'll make sure not only that you know about it, but that you change it."
It's a reason why so many of her former swimmers want to maintain a strong bond with her.
"There are always people stopping by that have graduated a year or two years ago, and sometimes people who have graduated like 15 or 20 years ago," Burns said. "It shows the lasting impression she leaves on people."
