Swimming and Diving Wins Third Straight NEC Championship
Blue Devils have now won six NEC titles in program history
The Central Connecticut women's swimming and diving team won its third straight Northeast Conferfence Championship and sixth overall by completing a convincing victory on Saturday night at MIT. The Blue Devils, who took over the lead on Thursday, never relinquished the lead on their way to the title. They finished with an impressive 869.5 points.
Junior Maddy Garber was named the Most Outstanding Swimmer of the Meet after posting a pair of wins in the 100 and 200 breaststroke. Junior Annemarie Durham was named the Most Outstanding Diver after sweeping the 1 and 3 meter events. Freshman Alexis Fredricks was named the Rookie of the Meet. Head Coach Bill Ball was named the NEC Coach of the Year.
Saturday night started as freshman Valentina Gomez finished second in the mile swim (1,650 yards) with a time of 17:13.45. Sophomore Grace Moriarty finished 15th in the event with a time of 18:11.36.
Central then went 2-3 in the 200 yard backstroke as freshman Alexis Fredricks finished second with a time of 1:59.56 and sophomore Aidan Devers was third in 1:59.94. Junior Maeve Awiszus finished eighth in a time of 2:06.76.
Senior Stephanie Czulewicz finished 10th (2:04.00) and sophomore Kaitlyn Troy was 11th (2:04.62) in the same race. Sophomore Kailey Demers finished 15th in 2:07.43.
Senior Christine Rasile swam 49.95, an NCAA B cut time, and claimed first place in the 100 freestyle. Junior Lauren Czulewicz was second in a time of 51.30.
Garber continued her impressive meet with a win in the 200 breaststroke on Saturday night. In the prelims in the morning Garber set a new NEC and school record, and an NCAA B cut time, with a time of 2:13.35. On Saturday night she won with a time of 2:13.49. Senior Lisa Ward was third in 2:18.64 and Demers was fourth in 2:18.74. Freshman Keelin Kendall was sixth in 2:21.28. Freshman Gracie Regan finished in ninth in 2:21.06 and classmate Katelyn Mann was 12th in 2:22.58.
Senior Sabree Thomas was third in the 200 butterfly with a time of 2:05.31. Gomez was fourth in 2:05.70.
Junior Annemarie Durham completed the diving sweep and claimed first place in the 3 meter championship. She claimed the title with a new school and NEC record score of 280.70. She had set the previous NEC record in the prelims on Saturday. She set the school record earlier this year.
The Blue Devils clinched the title with a come-from-behind victory in the 400 yard freestyle relay. The team of freshman Erika Maercklein, Troy, Lauren Czulewicz and Rasile touched out LIU Brooklyn for the win to clinch the sixth title in school history.