WORCESTER, Mass. – The 2015 America East Women’s Swimming and Diving Championship hosted by WPI, is set to begin on February 12th and carry on through the 15th. Last year's Most Outstanding Swimmer Emily Escobedo of UMBC will look to mirror her performance, and the New Hampshire Wildcats will be on a quest to defend their America East Championship for a third straight year.
Binghamton
- The Bearcats are looking to rebound after coming in fifth at last year’s America East Championship.
- The Bearcats went 2-5 in dual meets this year, and ended their regular season with a loss to Marist in Poughkeepsie, New York.
- Both seniors Corrine Zotter and Caitlin Kelly were named the America East Swimmer of the Week at one point this season, and on January 20th senior Imani Williams was named the America East Diver of the Week.
- Compared to the competing America East swimmers, Kelly holds the top time this season in in the 50-yard freestyle (23.13), Kristen Pozmanter has set the pace in the 1650-yard freestyle (17:32.64), and Corinne Zotter holds the fastest time in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:02.40).
Maine
- The Black Bears finished fourth at the America East Championship last year.
- Maine went 3-2 in dual meets this year, ending their regular season with a loss to fellow conference foe New Hampshire.
- Senior Naja Harvey was named the America East Swimmer of the Week on December 9th.
- Maine has some conference leaders: Harvey raced the 50-yard breaststroke in 30.26, sophomore Katerina Mosquera-Cardi holds the 50-yard butterfly with a time 26.64, and freshman Emma Pontius ranks first in the 100-yard individual relay at 1:07.71.
- In terms of top relay times, the Black Bears hold the fastest time in the 200-yard medley relay at 1:33.81.
UMBC
- The UMBC Retrievers came in second place at the America East Championship last year. Then freshman Emily Escobedo was named the championship’s Most Outstanding Swimmer and Most Outstanding Rookie. Retrievers also had the championship’s Most Outstanding Diver in Corinna Darelius.
- UMBC went 3-2 in dual meets this year, ending the year with a loss at home to East Carolina.
- UMBC had their sophomore Escobedo take home Swimmer of the Week honors back on Oct. 21st, and Darelius took home the Diver of the Week award five times this season. The sophomore’s most recent recognition came on January 27th.
- Darelius holds the conference top marks in both the 1-meter (294.98) and 3-meter dive (324.00)
New Hampshire
- New Hampshire is the two-time defending America East champion.
- Numerous Wildcat swimmers who hold the top marks in respective races among America East schools: Freshman Elizaveta Baykova in the 100-yard freestyle (51.70) and 200-yard freestyle (1:50.89); freshman Jessica Harper in the 500-yard freestyle (4:55.32), 1000-yard freestyle (10:09.25), and 100-yard backstroke (57.52); senior Katherine Mann in the 200-yard breaststroke (2:11.27), 200-yard butterfly (2:02.74), 200-yard individual medley (2:00.0), and 400-yard individual medley (4:13.69).
- Mann’s time in the 200 breaststroke ranks 24th in the nation among all Division I schools, and her pace in the 400 IM sits at 30th.
- All of the time holders mentioned above were named in the weekly honors at least once this year. Baykova on February 3rd, Katherine Mann on November 11th and 25th, and Harper three times: October 28th, November 4th, and January 27th.
- The Wildcats went 3-4 in dual meets this season, with their latest being a win over the Maine Black Bears.
Vermont
- Vermont placed third at the America East Championship last year.
- The Catamounts had a plethora of dual meets this year, finishing the season at 8-2.
- Two UVM swimmers and a Catamount diver won weekly honors this year. Swimmers of the Week winners were freshman Shannon Cowley on November 18th and junior Andie Blaser on January 6th. Junior Maggie Preston won Diver of the Week three times: November 4th, 11th, and 18th.
- Among the top times in the America East, there is sophomore Courtney Gray in the 50-yard backstroke (26.18), Ilsa Feierabend in the 200-yard backstroke (2:02.34), and junior Andrea Blaser in the 100-yard butterfly (55.68).
- Vermont has dominated the relay events this year in the America East. Catamounts hold number one time in the 200-yard freestyle relay (1:34.63), 400-yard freestyle relay (3:29.97), 400-yard medley relay (3:48.91), and 800-yard freestyle relay (7:42.37)
Tickets are available for purchase at the door, with adults costing $10.00, 14 and under $5.00 and students with an ID will be admitted for $2.00. The championship will culminate on Sunday evening with the awards ceremony.
If you can’t make it to the championship, log on to AmericaEast.com to view the swimming and diving Championship Central page for schedules, past results and more. You can also follow along with the championship via the conference twitter account (@AmericaEast). Join in the conversation at the America East Swimming & Diving Championships by using #AEChamps on Twitter and Instagram. Fans are also encouraged to take photos and use #AESelfie to have their photo show up on our photo album on AmericaEast.com and Facebook, as well as be retweeted on Twitter.