Fairfield University Athletics

The men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams are ready for the 2011 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Championships which will be held February 17-19 at the Aquatics Center at the Burt Flickinger Center on the campus of Erie Community College in Buffalo, N.Y. The three-day event kicks off at 10am on Thursday. Fans can follow the results as they happen by clicking here.

It marks the first time in 10 years in which the mid-February classic will not be held at Loyola University Maryland. The move was made in order to accommodate the increasing number of MAAC fans and to create a neutral site atmosphere. The Flickinger Center, which was constructed for the World University Games in 1993, houses an eight-lane, 50-meter competition pool with two one-meter diving boards and two three-meter diving boards. In addition, the Flickinger Center offers a four-foot, six-lane regulation warm-up pool. Plus, there is seating for approximately 1,200 spectators in the Aquatic Center for an event that features more than 400 swimmers and divers.

There will be one Stag that will garner particular attention when she enters the pool and that is junior Michelle Yoshida. She is the two-time defending champion in three events – the 50-, 100-, and 200 freestyles. In the meets leading up to MAACs this season, Yoshida holds the second-fastest 100 free and the third-fastest 50 freestyle performances in the MAAC this season. In addition, she also holds the second-fastest 100 backstroke time in the conference this season.

Sophomore Cacky Keating, who placed fifth in the 100 butterfly and eighth in the 200 butterfly last season at MAACs, has a top-five 200 butterfly time and a top-six time in the 100 butterfly this season. Last weekend, Keating also set a program record in the 200 butterfly. Freshman Suzy Lawlor has had a solid season for the Stags, posting top-five times in both the 100 and 200 breaststrokes. Rookie Moe Osmulski has also had a solid season, holding top-10 MAAC performances in both the 200 and 400 individual medleys (IM).

On the men’s side, junior Brian Friedlander has had a very good year. Friedlander swam the fifth-fastest 200 breaststroke time in the MAAC this season and also has top-ten times in the 100 breaststroke and 200 IM as well. Friedlander, who is a two-time ECAC qualifier, finished in the top-10 in both breaststroke events at MAACs last season.

On the boards, senior Brett Carisio will be competing in his final MAAC Championship. Carisio has scored in both MAAC Championships he has competed in and finished as high as 11th as a sophomore. Sophomore Ryan Krebs finished ninth on the 3-meter and eighth on the 1-meter last season at MAACs and looks to improve upon that finish. Rookies Brien Bates and Abigail Sanders will be making their postseason debuts as well.