Delaware Swimmers and Divers to Compete at Colonial Athletic Association Championships this Weekend
February 21, 2012
File Photo Courtesy of Mark Campbell
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FAIRFAX, Va. -- The University of Delaware men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams will look for a strong post-season showing as the Blue Hens open up competition at the Colonial Athletic Association Championship meet Wednesday at George Mason’s Jim McKay Natatorium.
The four-day meet will continue on Thursday morning, Feb. 23, with swimming trials at 10 a.m. followed by finals at 6 p.m. The same schedule will continue on Friday and Saturday.
The men’s team, led by head coach John Hayman, finished the regular season with 5-4 overall dual record. The Blue Hens posted a third place finish at the conference championship for the fourth year in a row last season and will be looking for their first conference title since winning the America East crown in 1999-2000.
Leading the way for the Blue Hens will be junior Ryan Roberts who is seeded second in the 200-yard backstroke with a time of 1:51.34. Roberts is also seeded in the top four for the 100-yard backstroke and 200-yard freestyle, and ninth in the 500-yard freestyle. Roberts is the Delaware record holder in the 200-yard backstroke and 200-yard freestyle and is the defending CAA champion in the 200 backstroke.
Other top-seeded Blue Hens include junior Matt McCarthy, sitting at third in the 200-yard backstroke,and sophomore Zachary Lowe and junior Andrew Speese, who are fourth and sixth in 200-yard butterfly, respectively. Speese set the school record in the event his freshman season.
Junior captain Kyle McLaughlin is seeded seventh in the 200-yard freestyle, senior Nick Woomer is seeded eighth in the 50-yard freestyle and senior captain Josh Hyman is eight in the 200-yard breaststroke. Hyman holds the school record in the 200-yard breaststroke.
Divers Brian Coonce, Nick Hoffman and Seth Bergman are seeded fifth, seventh and eighth, respectively in the one-meter event. Coonce is seeded second in the three-meter, while Bergman is third.
UNC Wilmington is the defending champion with the Seahawks have garnered 10 straight league team titles.
On the women’s side, the Blue Hens capped off the regular season with a 6-4 overall duel record, including an exciting 2-point win over George Mason. Delaware is looking to improve upon last season’s seventh place finish at the CAA championship. The Hens last won league titles in 1996 and 1997 and followed with a runner-up finish in 2001.
Senior Stephanie Dodd is the top-seeded swimmer for the Hens, sitting third in two events including the 400-yard IM with a time 4:22.65 and the 1,650-yard freestyle with a time of 16:46.94. Dodd broke her own 400-yard IM record at the Bucknell Invitational earlier this season She is also seeded fourth in the 200-yard IM.
Also seeded in the top eight for the Hens in individual events is captain Hannah Facchine who is seeded fourth in the 200-yard breaststroke, and sixth in the 100-yard breaststroke. Sophomore Tori Gillespie and junior Courtney Raw are seventh in the 100-yard butterfly, and 100-yard backstroke, respectively. Both currently hold the team record in their events. Sophomore Megan Northshield is seeded eight in the 200-yard butterfly.
Defending champion Towson, which defeated the Hens in a CAA Pod meet this year, has won the championship title four times in a row.
