The women's team will once again be highly competitive as they return 10 swimmers and divers from last season, including seniors Jennifer Masi and Brittany Hunter. Those swimmer and divers helped Fairfield to a 7-7 record and fourth-place finish at the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Championships. Despite a small incoming freshman class this season, the Stags are loaded with talent and will vie for a MAAC title.
"The women are going to be better than last year," Farley said. "We've got tremendous leadership from the two seniors and that will help our success."
The Stags have a smaller roster than they have had in past seasons so they will be limited in depth in most events. The dual meet lineups will also be limited, but consistent. That consistency and the experienced gained by those swimmers will be valuable.
Freestyle: The freestyle will again be the strongest event for the Stags as it has considerable talent and depth. Hunter and Masi will headline that group as they challenge for a MAAC title. Hunter, a versatile freestyler, has made her mark on the Stags' record books as she holds or is a part of 17 school records. At the MAAC Championships last season, Hunter was the runner-up in the both the 1,000 free (10:30.65) and the 1,650 free (17:37.37) with an ECAC qualifying times. She also set the school record in the 500 free (5:05.68) with a second-place finish. Masi became the first-ever Stag to win a MAAC Championship title as she captured the 50 free in a time of 24.24 to set not only a school, but a MAAC record. She also earned a second-place finish in the 100 free at MAACs, and recorded 15 first-place finishes in both the 50 and 100 freestyle events during the dual meet season. Additionally, Masi holds four individual and nine relay records.
"We will be very good in the sprint freestyle," Farley said. "Brittany will be good in distance and any other event she swims in. Brittany and Jennifer are the two kids that when we put them in the event and expect to win the event."
Also returning to the mix are juniors Sarah Dent and Erin Carrather. Dent spent the majority of the fall semester studying abroad and will join the Stags immediately upon her return. However, Carrather will be ready to go once the horns sound.
"We're going to rely upon those two immensely this year in both the freestyle and backstroke," Farley said.
Dent had a solid sophomore campaign, placing seventh in the 100 back with an ECAC-qualifying time of 1:02.08, and she was a member of two record-setting relays at the MAAC Championships. She also finished among the top 15 in the 200 back and 50 free.
"Sarah is one of the real keys in the freestyle, sprinting and backstroke," Farley said. "She is one of the key factors in how well the program is going to do."
Farley will also look for additional help in the freestyle from junior Liz Lawlor and sophomore Kaitlyn Buckheit. Junior Courtney Nicholas, who rejoins the program, and freshman Jennifer Curtis are also expected to make contributions.
Breaststroke: While Lawlor will help in the sprint freestyle, Farley will count on her in the breaststroke events. At MAACs last season, Lawlor placed third in the 200-yard breaststroke, setting the a school record with a time of 2:28.95. It was the fourth individual school record of her career. She also came in fifth in the 100 breaststroke. "Liz has looked really good in the preseason," Farley said. "I expect that Liz is going to improve this year in her breaststroke. She improved a lot in the 200 back last year and we expect that to continue." Freshman Marina Meliones will bring necessary depth to the event. Meliones earned four varsity letters at Wayland High School and helped her team to a Division 2 State Championship in 2006.
IM/Butterfly: Junior Rachel Waldstein will be one of Farley's key figures in the butterfly and IM events. Last season, she posted personal bests at the MAAC Championships last year with a 10th-place finish in the 100 fly, a 12th-place finish in the 200 IM, and she was in the top 20 in the 200 fly. Sophomore Carolyn Sheppard will provide valuable depth in the individual medley and butterfly events along with the backstroke. At MAACs, she finished 14th in the 200 back and 15th in both the 200 fly and the 100 back. "From what I have seen so far, Carolyn has a really great attitude and is going to be somebody we can really rely upon in the future," Farley noted.
Backstroke: The Stags will also have strength in the backstroke events as Buckheit returns after an outstanding debut with the Stags. Buckheit had a solid dual meet season and recorded a 14th-place finish in the 100 back and was a member of the record-setting 200 freestyle relay at MAACs last season. "Katilyn is going to have a good year," Farley said. "She really has a great attitude and is working hard. She will definitely help us." Carrather, while a solid freestyle, will focus backstroke events. She placed seventh in the 200 back with an ECAC-B qualifying time of 2:13.07 at the MAAC Championships last season and finished ninth in the 100 back. When Nicholas and Dent are not competing in the freestyle events, they will also add some depth in the backstroke events.
Divers: The diving component of the Stags is going to be very strong this season with a host of talent on the boards. Junior Katharine Yee will return as a leader for the Stags. Last season, she earned 11 victories on both boards throughout the dual meet season. Yee also set the school record for six dives on a 1-meter board with 250.20 points against St. Peter's. At the MAAC Championships, she placed seventh on the three-meter board. Junior Jennifer Silvia will return to the Stags in January, after spending the fall season studying abroad. Silvia was a consistent number-two behind Yee and placed eighth in the three-meter at MAAC Championships. Fairfield will have several newcomers to help the Stags efforts on the boards. Junior Liz Freskakis will join the team after transferring from Quinnipiac. Freshman Hillary Urbancic is also expected to make contributions during the dual meet season.
