Durham, Devers and Relay Shine as Blue Devils Take NEC Swimming and Diving Lead

The Central Connecticut women's swimming and diving team continued the defense of its Northeast Conference Championship on Thursday at MIT in Cambridge, MA.  The Blue Devils, the two-time defending NEC title holders, and six-time champions, lead the field with a score of 291.5.

Bryant is second at 243, followed by Wagner, 204.5, LIU Brooklyn, 175, Saint Francis U, 133.5, Sacred Heart, 112.5, Mount, 98, and St. Francis Brooklyn, 70.

NEC SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL

Day three of the Championships begins on Friday at 10 a.m.

Junior Annemarie Durham captured the title in the 1 meter diving event with a score of 283.70, beating out defending NEC title holder Kelci Abernethy of Bryant.  Durham, who set the 1 meter and 3 meter school records for the Blue Devils this season, will compete in the 3 meter event on Saturday.

Sophomore Aidan Devers started the night off on the right foot for the Blue Devils with a victory in the 500 freestyle.  She topped the field with an impressive time of 4:54.87, finishing nearly three seconds ahead of the second place competitor.  

CCSU freshman Valentina Gomez finished fourth in the same event with a time of 5:00.57.  Freshman Grace Regan finished 10th in the event and second in the B final with a time of 5:02.44.  Junior Maeve Awisszus was 13th in a time of 5:05.37.

The Blue Devils were impressive in the 200 individual medley as they placed four swimmers in the A final.  Junior Maddy Garber swam 2:04.00 and finished second in the race.  Senior Stephanie Czulewicz was fourth in 2:05.92 and freshman Keelin Kendall was sixth in 2:07.01.  Senior Lisa Ward finished eighth in the same race in 2:08.68.

Freshman Katelyn Mann was ninth in the IM and first in the B final with a time of 2:08.11.  

Senior Christine Rasile finished second in the 50 freestyle with a time of 23.31 and junior Lauren Czulewicz finished in a tie for third place with a time of 23.37 for the Blue Devils.  Sophomore Kaitlyn Troy finished 14th overall with a time of 24.11.

The Blue Devils ended the night with a first place victory in the 200 freestyle relay with a new NEC and school record time of 1:33.77.  The team of Troy, Rasile, L. Czulewicz and freshman Erika Maercklein posted the win and extended the lead after day two for CCSU.

Day three begins at 10 a.m. on Friday as the teams will compete in the 400 yard IM, 100 butterfly, 200 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, 100 backstroke and the 400 yard medley relay.