Swimming & Diving Opens ECAC Championships With Solid Performances
Feb 27, 2009
BOSTON, Mass. - Fairfield University's women's swimmer Michelle Yoshida (Kaneohe, Hawaii) and men's diver Taylor Stecko (South Windsor, Conn.) finished among the top six in the finals of their respective events to highlight the Stags' opening day at the 2009 ECAC Swimming & Diving Championships held at Harvard University's Blodgett Pool.
Yoshida posted a time of 24.29 seconds to finish sixth in the women's 50 yard freestyle. She was also a member of the record-setting 400 medley relay and the 200 freestyle relay that won the B final, continuing her stellar rookie campaign. Two weeks ago, she won three titles, including the 50 free, at the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Championships. Yoshida will also compete in the 100 free, 200 free, the 100 back, and several other relay events this weekend.
The women's 400 medley relay of Yoshida, freshman Lauren Kennedy (Belmont, Mass.), freshman Aly Criscuolo (Pittsford, N.Y.), and sophomore Katie Merz (Absecon, N.J.) placed seventh with a time of 4:01.17 breaking the record of 4:01.84 set at MAACs. In the women's 200 freestyle relay, the quartet of Teresa Garrity (Middlebury, Conn.), sophomore Allie Russoniello (Middletown, N.J.), freshmen Megan Reilly (Atlantic Highlands, N.J.), and Yoshida captured the B final with a time of 1:41.26 to finish ninth overall.
In the men's 1-meter diving, Stecko placed sixth with a score of 224.65. The junior will compete on the 3-meter on Saturday. At ECACs as a freshman, Stecko placed seventh on the 1-meter and eighth on the 3-meter marking the highest finish by any Stag diver.
In the men's 200 freestyle relay, the freshman foursome of Greg Bellizzi (Edison, N.J.), Boris Romanovsky (Marblehead, Mass.), Stefan Toi (Newton, Conn.) and Andrew Robinson (Manalapan, N.J.) posted a time of 1:28.72 to finish 15th overall.
After the first day of competition, the women's team is tied for eighth place with Siena with a total of 55 points. Harvard leads with 161 points while Rider is second with 153.5 points, and Marist is third with 124 points. Loyola stands in sixth place with 105 points.
The men's team is tied for 13th with Bucknell with 17 points. Navy leads the field and is followed by Rider in third with 165 points, Loyola in fourth with 107 points, and Marist in fifth with 85 points.
In the prelims of the 50 free, Reilly posted a time of 25.71 seconds while Garrity clocked a time of 25.75 seconds. In the prelims of the women's 500 free, Merz posted a time of 5:12.43. In the prelims of the 200 IM, Kennedy recorded a time of 2:14.77.
In the prelims of the men's 200 IM, Brian Friedlander (River Edge, N.J.) recorded a time of 1:58.26 while Toi finished in 2:00.35. In the prelims of the 50 free, Bellizzi posted a time of 22.12 seconds. In the prelims of the 400 medley relay of Romanovsky, Friedlander, Robinson, and Bellizzi posted a time of 3:38.45.
Overall, Fairfield had 16 Stags qualified for competition at ECACs. During the course of the three-day meet, Fairfield will compete in 10 relays and will have 41 individual entries in various events. Action continues tomorrow, February 28, at 10am at Blodgett Pool. The ECAC and Harvard are providing live videostreaming and scoreboard as well as full results for the event at no cost for fans. Visit www.meetresults.com/ecac for more information.
