Day Two Finals
Day Two Prelims

BALTIMORE, Md. - Fairfield University's women's swimmer Michelle Yoshida (Kaneohe, Hawaii) captured her second league title and set her second league record of the 2009 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Championships this evening at the Mangione Aquatic Center. This time, Yoshida captured the 200 yard freestyle with a time of 1:51.56. In all Fairfield swimmers and divers have set 18 school records in the first two days of competition.

Yoshida, who won the 50 free in record-setting fashion yesterday, broke the 200 free MAAC record (1:52.52) and her own school record (1:56.12). Fairfield's only other female double-MAAC Champion was diver Catherine Bassi who completed the feat in 1993. Also competing in the 200 free was sophomore Katie Merz (Absecon, N.J.), who placed sixth in a personal best of 1:55.69 and freshman Megan Reilly (Atlantic Highlands, N.J.),who finished 15th with a personal best of 2:00.04.

Merz, earlier in the afternoon, set her second individual program record in two days with a fifth place finish in the 1000 free. She clocked a time of 10:28.69 breaking the record of 10:30.65 set by Brittany Hunter at MAACs in 2006.

Freshman Lauren Kennedy (Belmont, Mass.) earned her third program record during the competition in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:07.60, good for sixth overall. The previous mark of 1:08.09 was set by Liz Lawlor in 2006. Sophomore Allie Russoniello (Middletown, N.J.) won the B final of the 100 breaststroke with a personal best of 1:09.33 while freshman Emily Kelly (Haddon Heights, N.J.) placed 12^th with a time of 1:11.76 and freshman Aly Criscuolo (Pittsford, N.Y.) placed 14th with a personal best of 1:12.03.

Criscuolo also set a personal best in the 100 fly, as she finished 12th with a time of 1:00.54. Senior Meghan Carlson (Worcester, Mass.) placed 14th in the 100 back with a personal best of 1:01.79.

On the men's side, freshman Kekoa Taparra (Mililani, Hawaii) tied for third place in the 400 IM with a time of 4:08.98 which was also achieved by Loyola's Zach Oster. Sophomore Jonathan O'Connor (Norwalk, Conn.) placed sixth in the event with a time of 4:17.10. O'Connor also placed 13^th in the 1000 free with a personal best of 10:03.21.

Taparra broke his own school record in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 58.54 seconds which placed him eighth overall. Freshman Brian Friedlander (River Edge, N.J.) also placed in the event with a time of 59.40 seconds good for tenth.

Four Stags placed in the 100 fly to earn big points for the Stags. Freshman Andrew Robinson (Manalapan, N.J.) captured the B final with a school record-setting time of 52.16 seconds. He snapped the mark of 52.22 set by Chris McTague in 1994 and posted his third program record in two days. Junior Boris Romanovsky (Marblehead, Mass.) finished 13th with a time of 53.02 seconds, while freshman Stefan Toi (Newton, Conn.) clocked a personal best of 53.20 seconds to place 15^th. Freshman Greg Bellizzi (Edison, N.J.) also recorded a personal best of 53.70 seconds to finish 16^th.

Robinson also placed in the 200 free with a time of 1:46.38 good for tenth overall. Freshman Tommy Peters (Basking Ridge, N.J.) finished 13th in the event with a time of 1:48.82. Romanovsky placed 14th in the 100 back with a time of 55.61 seconds.

In the men's 3-meter diving, junior Taylor Stecko (South Windsor, Conn.) broke his own school record with a mark of 423.00 to finish fifth overall. Stecko's previous standard was 410.70 set last year at MAACs. Sophomore Brett Carisio (Cheshire, Conn.) placed 11^th with a score of 255.30.

The men's 800 medley relay of Robinson, Peters, Toi, and Friedlander set a school record with a time of 7:12.56, breaking the mark of 7:14.43 set in 2004. The men's 200 medley relay of Romanovsky, Friedlander, Toi, and Bellizzi set the program record with a time of 1:39.43; they broke the mark of 1:39.81 set in 2007. Bellizzi, Robinson, and Toi have been a part of three of the four relay records Fairfield has set during the competition.

The women's 800 freestyle relay of Merz, Reilly, Russoniello, and freshman Norah Gentile (Manchester, Conn.) set the program record with a time of 7:58.28, breaking the mark of 8:06.09 set at MAACs in 2005. The 200 medley relay of Carlson, Kennedy, Criscuolo and Yoshida was one-hundredth of a second off the program record after posting a time of 1:50.76.

After day two of competition, Rider leads the women with 513.5 while Marist is in second with 486 points. Loyola stands third with 473 fourth while Fairfield is fourth with 235. They are followed by Iona (223.5), Siena (210), Canisius (130), Niagara (122), Manhattan (90), and St. Peter's (70).

Loyola leads the men with 591.5 points while Rider is second with 483. Marist is close behind in third with 422 points. Iona is fourth with 244 and is followed by Fairfield (208), Niagara (200), St. Peter's (195), Canisius (147), and Manhattan (54).

 In the prelims of the 400 IM, Sasha Campbell (Old Greenwich, Conn.) posted a time of 5:04.30 while senior Carolyn Sheppard (Franklin Lakes, N.J.) posted a time of 5:10.48. In the prelims of the 100 fly, freshman Caroline Menapace (Ambler, Pa.) posted a time of 1:03.85. She was followed by senior Kaitlyn Buckheit (Exton, Pa.) in a personal best of 1:04.47 and freshman Samantha Distler (Glens Falls, N.Y.) in a personal best of 1:06.03.

In the prelims of the 200 free, freshman Brenna Dean (Edison, N.J.) recorded a personal best of 2:04.50 while classmate Barbara Mangino (Jamaica Estates, N.Y.) had a personal best of 2:11.84. They were followed by Christina Brown (Shavertown, Pa.) in a time of 2:11.67 and Alyssa Conroy (Toms River, N.J.) in 2:14.77.

In the prelims of the 100 breaststroke, freshman Colleen Wilson (Niantic, Conn.) had a personal best of 1:15.64 while junior Marina Meliones (Wayland, Mass.) notched a time of 1:19.13. In the prelims of the 100 back, Gentile just missed the cut with a personal best of 1:03.47. She was followed by Kelly in a personal best of 1:03.64, Menapace in 1:04.73, Buckheit in 1:05.22, and Sheppard in 1:08.73. Gentile also posted a personal best in the 1000 free with a time of 11:06.15.

In the prelims of the 100 fly, Alex Connaughton (Wayland, Mass.) posted a time of 55.56 seconds. He was followed by Anthony Caserta (Youngstown, N.J.) who posted a personal best of 57.82 seconds, Anthony Sbona (Higganum, Conn.) in 58.28 seconds and senior Garrett Marqua (Fairfield, Conn.) in 1:00.14.

In the prelims of the 200 free, George Daniolos (Shelton, Conn.) recorded a time of 1:53.44. In the prelims of the 100 breaststroke, sophomore Charlie Helm (Cheshire, Conn.) had a time of 1:03.39 while Connaughton finished in 1:07.43. In the prelims of the 100 back, freshman Kenny Muti (Walpole, Mass.) had a personal best of 59.12 seconds.

Fairfield concludes competition at the MAAC Championships on Saturday. Visit MAAC Championship Central for live video streaming, results, and all the latest information about the event.