JAY PELUSO

2003 INDUCTION TO THE RHODE ISLAND AQUATIC HALL OF FAME

One of Rhode Island’s best interscholastic swimmers ever, starred at Cumberland High School under the tutelage of long-time coach Bruce Calvert and at the University of Massachusetts, coached by Attleboro native, Russ Yarworth.  A relatively late starter in competitive swimming, beginning his swimming career as a high school freshman, Jay improved rapidly and as a senior in 1989 established Rhode Island Interscholastic records in the 100 yard breaststroke and 200 yard individual medley.  Those times earned him All-State and All-American honors.  The breaststroke record was not broken until 2003 and the individual medley record established has yet to be broken.

Jay was the Rhode Interscholastic Coaches Association Swimmer of the Year in 1989.  While competing as a member of the Little Rhody Aquatic Club in 1989, he also competed at the National Junior Olympics in Pensacola, Florida and finished sixth in the 200 yard breaststroke and tenth in the 100 yard breaststroke.

Jay earned a swimming scholarship to UMass and continued to dominate in the breaststroke and individual medley events.  He was the New England Intercollegiate Champion in the 200 individual medley in 1990, 1991,1992, and 1993.  He also captured the title in the 100 butterfly in 1992 and both the 200 yard breaststroke and 400 yard individual medley in 1993.  During his collegiate years, Jay led the Minutemen to four consecutive New England Intercollegiate Championships.  His individual successes at the New England Championships garnered him the Robert Muir Award in 1993 as the senior swimmer who had accumulated the most points during his four years of New England Intercollegiate swimming.

Jay also excelled in water polo at UMass as a three year starter and helped the team rise to national prominence, winning their first New England Championship in 1992, Jay’s senior year.  Jay received a degree in Sports Management from UMass and then his law degree from the University of Richmond.  Jay now lives in Glenn Allen, Virginia with his wife, Dana, and works as a criminal defense attorney in private