WINTHROP, Mass. -- University of New England head coach Rick Hayes has been selected by his peers as the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Coach of the Year, with the announcement of the 2021-22 women's swimming & diving awards on Friday (Apr. 8).

Competing in the league championship for the first time, Hayes led the Nor'easters to a 3rd-place showing out of 10 institutions -- with 650 points, just four out of second. UNE had one swimmer and one relay earn a top-three medal in an event (second and third places, respectively), while five other individual performances and two relays claimed top-five finishes.

Complete release: 2021-22 GNAC Women's Swimming & Diving Honors

Senior Haley Griffin was named to the GNAC All-Sportsmanship Team.

The GNAC Coach of the Year honor for Hayes is the second of his career, after getting the nod back in 2011-12 at Saint Joseph's College of Maine. Back in February, he shared the New England Intercollegiate Swimming & Diving Association (NEISDA) Coach of the Year distinction.