UMBC has been selected as the preseason favorite to win the America East Men’s Swimming and Diving Championship, according to a vote of the conference’s head coaches. The Retrievers received all four first-place votes (coaches were not permitted to vote for their own team), tallying 16 points. Stony Brook University took one first-place vote in its second-place standing with 11 points. Complete Poll
Boston University (10) came in a close third, followed by Binghamton University (9) and University of Maine (4) finishing the pole.
UMBC, last year’s champion, returns with another strong roster. A deep sophomore class will lead the way with Justin Bronson (Oshawa, Ontario, Canada/MSGR. Paul Dwyer), first in the 500 yard freestyle and second in the 200 yard freestyle. Classmates Evan Roseberry (Sinking Spring, Pa./Wilson) and Freddie Reitz (Ellicott City, Md./Howard) return after top performances in the 400 yard individual medly, 200 yard freestyle,500 yard freestyle, and 1650 yard freestyle. Senior captain Ryan Karrer (Linwood, N.J./Mainland Regional) will be a leader coming off a first place finish in the 1650 yard freestyle.
Stony Brook will look to the underclassmen to bring in some points. Diver Julian Acevedo (Long Island City, N.Y./Newcomers) comes back after a first-place finish in the one meter and second in the three meter. Top swimmers for the Seawolves should be sophomore Rafael Labour (New York City, N.Y./Beacon), winning the 100 yard backstroke and the 200 yard backstroke, and Jon Siguroson (Reykjavik, Iceland/ Fjolbrautaskoli Sudtumesia), who finished first in the 100 yard breastsroke.
Boston is lead by sophomore diver, Brian Lawler (San Luis Obispo, Calif./Laguna Hills), who finished second in the one-meter and first in the three meter. Senior Michael Bear (Richmond, Va./Mills Goodwin) will lead the swimmers coming of a fourth place finish in the 1650 yard freestyle.
Binghamton should be led by its upperclassmen in the 2006-07 season. Senior David Holmes (Doncaster, England/Derby Univ.) returns after strong performances last year, winning the 200 yard IM and the 100 yard butterfly. Senior Brian Koizim (White Plains, N.Y./White Plains) finished second in the 100 yard backstroke and third in the 200 yard IM.
Maine will look to its underclassmen for points. The Black Bears return sophomore Nate Richard (Vergennes, Vt./Vergennes Union), who finished second in the 100 yard breast stroke, and fifth in the 50 yard freestyle.