Laura Kelso-Shiman, Class of 1984, has been elected to the Northeastern University Hall of Fame for excellence in the sport of swimming.
She was an early pioneer in the birth of women’s swimming and rose to be Northeastern’s first female All-American.
Kelso was a standout athlete at Pine Bush High School in the tiny town of Pine Bush, N.Y. She competed in basketball, swimming and softball. In her senior year, she captained all three. In swimming, she was selected All-State as a junior and senior in the breast stroke.
The Northeastern women’s swimming program had been started in 1978-79, and the program’s progress, under its first coach Janet Swanson, had been remarkable. Swanson saw the potential in Kelso and after arriving on Huntington Avenue for the 1980-81 season, she became the backbone of the growing program.
In her freshman year, she immediately established herself as one of the premier breaststrokers in New England. She set Husky records in the 50-yard, 100-yard, and 200-yard breaststroke. At the New England Championship she won the 50 while setting a New England record and took points in both the 100 and 200. The team posted a 9-1 record.
Kelso’s sophomore season saw more progress. She broke all of her Northeastern records in the 50, 100, and 200 breaststroke. She won the Greater Boston Collegiate and New England 50, and helped the 400 medley relay team to a New England title. Her 50-yard time of 32.28 seconds qualified her for the national championship. She finished eighth, which earned her All-America honors. Kelso had become the first female Husky to earn that distinction. The team continued its winning ways posting an 8-4 record.
Her junior year she did something remarkable. In 11 dual meets, she remained undefeated in the 50-yard breaststroke, then again won the GBC and New England 50, plus the New England 100 and placed second in the 200. Her contribution to the 400 medley relay earned it a New England title and set a Husky record. In the national championship, she placed third in the 50 for her second All-America certificate and 11th in the 100. The team had another successful season going 8-3.
Kelso’s senior season saw great changes. The fledging program was now sound enough to merit a tougher schedule. Also, for a decade, women’s sports had been led by the AIAW, now they would be under the dominance of the NCAA. She defended her GBC and New England 50-yard titles and set new records for the 50, 31.29, and the 100, 1:10.52. However, when it came to the NCAA Championship, there was a rule stating you had to qualify in two events. Kelso only qualified in the 50. Coach Swanson estimated that she would have placed third. With the new schedule, the team slipped to 3-9.
In her career, she won the New England 50 four times and the GBC three times.
