Jan. 12, 2006
FAIRFIELD, Conn. - The Fairfield University men's and women's swimming a diving teams will begin the 2006 portion of its schedule with a Martin Luther King, Jr. Day matinee, by hosting the University of Maine, on Monday Jan. 16.
The Fairfield women had success in the first half of the season posting a 5-4 overall record and a 4-1 mark in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC). The men's team will look to shrug off a slow start to the season, as it enters the meet with a 1-6 overall record, and a 1-3 mark in the MAAC.
Junior Jennifer Masi will look to begin 2006, where she left off 2005, with a record-setting afternoon at Siena on December 5. She won the 50-yard freestyle with a 24.60, setting a new school-record, and a Siena pool record. The North Haven, Conn., native also bested the school-record in the 100-yard freestyle with a 53.35.
In addition to her individual success, Masi was a part of two winning relay teams in the meet. The 200-yard medley relay team posted a school-record with a 1:53.17, eclipsing the previous mart set last year at the MAAC Championships. The winning time also set a new Siena pool record. Masi was also a part of the 200-yard freestyle relay, which was a fraction of a second from setting a Siena pool record with a 1:42.96.
Masi was named the MAAC Swimmer of the Week on December 6, and ECAC Swimmer of the Week on December 14, for her efforts in that meet. Those honors were not the only awards handed out in the first half of the season.
Junior Brittany Hunter captured MAAC Swimmer of the Week kudos on November 15, after picking up three wins in the victory over Niagara University. Hunter posted a 9:29.98 in the 800-yard freestyle, then came back to win the 200-yard individual medley, touching the wall in 2:31.73. She also took home top honors in the 200-yard butterfly with a winning time of 2:29.92.
Sophomore Katharine Yee picked up MAAC Diver of the Week honors on October 25, after opening the season with a flurry. In the home opener against Saint Peter's, she set a new school-record in the one-meter board, putting up a six-dive total of 250.30, to earn first place in the event. She also posted a solid showing in the three-meter dive, as an exhibition competitor. She opened the season with a pair of wins one the one-meter dive at Providence.
On the men's side, senior Rob Penwell earned MAAC Diver of the Week award on November 8. In a tri-meet against Loyola (Md.), and Georgetown, Penwell captured the one-meter dive with a 202.30, in the three-meter board, he registered a 215.95, to finish second overall.
Before squaring off with the Stags, the Black Bears will travel to Providence on January 15. The Maine women's team is 5-2 overall, while the men's team is 1-4 on the year.
Following the dual meet with Maine, Fairfield will make a short trip up Interstate-95 for a dual meet with Yale on Friday, Jan. 20. The next day, the Stags will host the College of the Holy Cross for a 1 p.m. start.
