Swimming & Diving Sets Five Program Record at ECAC Championships
Feb 28, 2009
BOSTON, Mass. - The Fairfield University swimming and diving team enjoyed another solid day at the 2009 ECAC Swimming & Diving Championships with several top-15 performances and five school records at Harvard University's Blodgett Pool.
Freshman Michelle Yoshida (Kaneohe, Hawaii) captured the B final of the women's 100 yard backstroke with a record-setting pace of 57.90 seconds. She broke her own program record of 1:00.15 which she notched in December. In addition to her ninth-place finish in the 100 back, Yoshida was also a member of the record-setting 200 medley and 800 freestyle relays this afternoon. Yesterday, Yoshida finished sixth in 50 free and was a member of the record-setting 400 medley relay and the 200 freestyle relay that won the B final.
In men's 1-meter diving, junior Taylor Stecko (South Windsor, Conn.) placed sixth overall with a score of 224.90. Yesterday, he placed sixth on the 3-meter board. Stecko's sixth-place finishes are personal bests and the highest ever by a Fairfield diver at the ECAC Championships. As a freshman he finished seventh on the 1-meter and eighth on the 3-meter.
Sophomore Jonathan O'Connor (Norwalk, Conn.) placed 15th overall in the men's 400 IM with a personal best of 4:15.50.
The women's 200 medley relay, which featured Yoshida, Lauren Kennedy (Belmont, Mass.), Aly Criscuolo (Pittsford, N.Y.), and Megan Reilly (Atlantic Highlands, N.J.) set a program record and captured the B final of the event with a time of 1:50.55 to finish ninth overall. The previous mark of 1:50.75 was set in 2006.
The women's 800 freestyle relay of sophomore Katie Merz (Absecon, N.J.), Yoshida, Allie Russoniello (Middletown, N.J.), and Reilly also set a program record. The quartet posted a time of 7:48.67 to finish ninth overall. The previous standard of 7:58.28 was set at the MAAC Championships two weeks ago.
The men's 800 freestyle relay also set a program record. The freshman foursome of Andrew Robinson (Manalapan, N.J.), Tommy Peters (Basking Ridge, N.J.), Stefan Toi (Newton, Conn.), and Brian Friedlander (River Edge, N.J.) posted a time of 7:07.26 to finish 12th overall. The previous record was 7:12.56 which was set at MAACs.
The men's 200 medley relay Boris Romanovsky (Marblehead, Mass.), Friedlander, Robinson, and Greg Bellizzi (Edison, N.J.) set a program record with a time of 1:39.23 seconds in the prelims. The previous standard of 1:39.43 was set at MAACs.
In the prelims of the 100 fly, Criscuolo recorded a personal best of 59.85 seconds. In the prelims of the 200 free, Merz recorded a time of 1:58.22. In the prelims of the 100 breaststroke, Kennedy recorded a time of 1:08.86 while Russoniello finished in 1:10.21.
In the prelims of the 100 fly, Robinson posted a time of 52.24 seconds while Romanovsky finished in 52.80 seconds. They were followed by Toi in 53.55 seconds and Bellizzi in a personal best of 54.60 seconds. In the prelims of the 200 free, Peters had a time of 1:49.81. In the prelims of the 100 breaststroke, Friedlander had a time of 1:00.50. In the prelims of the 100 back, Romanovsky posted a time of 56.68 seconds.
After two days of competition, the women's team is in ninth place with 100 points. Harvard leads with 333 points and they are followed by Rider (331.5) and Marist (262). Loyola is in seventh place with 215 points. Meanwhile, the men's team is in 16th place with 42 points. Navy is the current leader while Rider is in third (304), Loyola is in fourth (262), and Marist is in seventh (192).
Fairfield concludes the action at the ECAC Championships and the 2009 season tomorrow, March 1, 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.
