UMBC and New Hampshire have been selected as the preseason favorites to win the America East Women’s Swimming and Diving Championship, according to a vote of the conference’s head coaches. The Retrievers and Wildcats’ both received three first-place votes (coaches were not permitted to vote for their own team), tallying 33 points. Boston University finished a close third with 27 points. Complete Poll
University of Maine (21) came in fourth in the polls, followed by Stony Brook University (14), University of Vermont (11), and Binghamton University (8) rounding out the standings.
UMBC looks to take home the championship with top swimmer Meghan Sackett (Cockeysville, Md./Dulaney/Maryland), who won the 500 yard freestyle, 200 yard freestyle and 1650 yard freestyle. Sophomore Daniele Surkovich (Ellicott City, Md./Wilde Lake) returns as the Most Outstanding Rookie, took first in the 50 yard freestyle,second in the 100 yard freestyle and fly, and Christina Cantwell (Sinking Spring, Pa./The Hill School), second in the 100 yard breaststroke and third in the 200 yard breaststroke and 200 yard individual medly, will also help the Retrievers. Last seasons Most Outstanding Diver, Ashley Houghton (Frederick, Md./Urbana/Pittsburgh) returns from a first-place finish in the one meter and second in the three meter.
New Hampshire hopes to repeat last year’s championship with a strong junior class. Kary Goodman (South Windham, Maine/ Catherine McAuley) is coming off wins in the 100 yard backstroke, 200 yard backstroke, and 200 yard butterfly, while classmate Christine Tartaglia (Brewster, N.Y.), who finished third in the 100 yard breaststroke, will also lead the Wildcats’. The divers are led by junior Shana Dege (Lockport, N.Y./Lockport), who finished second in the one meter and third in the three meter.
Boston returns senior Lidija Breiznikar (Kotlje, Slovenia/Mountain View), who finished first in the 400 yard individual medley and second in the 200 yard breaststroke. Sophomore diver Alex Crerar (Regina, Saskatchewan/Riffel) will also help the Terriers having finished first in the three meter dive and fourth in the one meter dive.
Maine’s Adi Levy (Givatayim, Israel) returns to the pool coming off a second-place in the 200 yard butterfly. Teammate Colleen Miller (Missoula, Mont./Hellgate) will also look to help the Black Bears, she finished fourth in both the 500 yard freestyle and 200 yard freestyle.
Stony Brook is led by diver Hailey Lewandowski (Pomona, N.Y./Ramapo),
who placed third in the one meter. Sophomore Lucy Liu (Bronx, N.Y./Bronx H.S. of Sciences) will make contributions for the Seawolves in the backstroke events.
Vermont looks to sophomores to lead the way. Eryka Karz (Mt. Prospect, Ill./Loyola Academy) led the Catamounts with a third place finish in the 100 yard butterfly. Rachel Kent (Mystic, Conn./R.E. Fitch) and Lauren Honrath (Monroe, Conn./Masuk) finished fifth in the 50 yard freestyle and 1650 yard freestyle, respectively.
Binghamton brought in a large freshman class and will look to these underclassmen to score some points. Sophomore Aleksandra Grubic (Split, Croatia/Gimnasium Split) should have top performances in the freestyle, while classmate Katherine Hassfurter (Horseheads, N.Y./Horseheads) will lead the divers.