BOSTON- The 15th annual America East Men's and Women's Swimming and Diving Championships will be held at the UMBC Natatorium on the campus of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County on Friday, February 18, through Sunday, February 20.
Northeastern University has won five-straight women's swimming and diving titles. UMBC is the defending champion on the men's side after claiming the title in its first year of membership in the conference.
Northeastern junior Adela Gavozdea, who was named the Women's Outstanding Diver of the Year, returns to defend her titles in the one- and three-meter diving events. The Huskies also return all four members from their conference record-breaking 400-yard freestyle relay team, which includes sophomore Kerby Lewis, senior Kelly McIsaac, junior Sara Reddick and senior Katie Schmaling. Other individual champions who return this season include: UMBC's Agnes Stanislawska, who was named the most Outstanding Swimmer of the 2004 championship after winning three individual events, along with teammate Lindsey Prather who returns to defend her titles in the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke, New Hampshire's Shannon Daly and Melissa Lague, and Boston University's Lidija Breznikar.
The UMBC men were led by Jakub Sroczynski, who took firsts in both the 200-yard back and 200-yard freestyle events, along with Ryan Karrer and Evan Swann who placed second and third in the 1650-freestyle, respectively. All three return for the Retrievers along with Binghamton's Robert Kaczynski, who took firsts in both the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke and three-time Most Outstanding Diver recipient Victor Paguia of Boston University. Paguia is the three-time defending champion in both one- and three-meter diving events.
Trials begin Friday at 10:30 a.m. in the 500-yard freestyle, 200-yard individual medley, 50-yard freestyle, women's three-meter diving, and men's one-meter diving. Championships, which begin at 6 p.m., will be decided in those events, as well as the 200-yard freestyle relay and the 400-yard medley relay.
Saturday's trials begin at 10:30 a.m. in the 400-yard individual medley, 100-yard butterfly, 200-yard freestyle, 100-yard breaststroke, 100-yard backstroke, and women's one-meter diving. Championships in those events, as well as the 200-yard medley relay and the 800-yard freestyle relay, will begin at 6 p.m.
Sunday's trials begin at 10:30 a.m. in the 200-yard backstroke, 100-yard freestyle, 200-yard breaststroke, 200-yard butterfly, 1650-yard freestyle (all but last heat), and men's three-meter diving. Championships begin at 5:30 p.m. in those events and the 400-yard freestyle relay.
It will mark the first time the event has been held at the UMBC Natatorium after four-straight years at Stanley M. Wallace Pool at the University of Maine.
Binghamton University, Boston University, University of Maine, UMBC, University of New Hampshire, Northeastern University (women only), Stony Brook University and University of Vermont (women only) will all vie for the 2005 Swimming and Diving Championship.