Day Two Results (PDF)
BUFFALO, N.Y. – Fairfield University junior
Michelle Yoshida was crowned champion in the 100 yard backstroke and set a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) record in the process as the Stags continued action at the 2011 MAAC Swimming & Diving Championships this evening. In all, eight program records were achieved tonight.
Yoshida captured the 100y back for the first time in her career by blazing a MAAC and a program record time of 55.62 seconds. Yoshida finished more than two seconds ahead of the runner-up Sarah Wagner of Marist College (57.80). Yoshida broke the previous MAAC standard of 55.78 seconds set in 2009 by Rider University’s Kellyanne Tomasula. Yesterday, Yoshida missed out on her third-straight title in the 50y freestyle by .01 seconds and finished as the runner-up. Tomorrow, Yoshida will defend her back-to-back titles in the 100y freestyle. Yoshida was also a member of two record-setting relays on Friday evening.
Senior Katie Merz had a strong night for the Stags. She placed fourth in the 1000y freestyle with a time of 10:27.99, breaking her own school record by nearly a second. Merz then turned right around to participate in the B final of the 200y freestyle. In that event, Merz clocked a time of 1:59.56 to finished 16th overall. Merz was also the lead leg of the third-place 800y freestyle relay which broke a program record this evening.
In the women’s 100y breaststroke, freshman Suzy Lawlor placed seventh overall and set a program record with a time of 1:07.37. The previous standard was 1:07.60 set by Lauren Kennedy in 2009. Freshman Emily Pedrick placed 14th overall with a time of 1:10.27.
Freshman Moe Osmulski placed fifth in the women’s 400y individual medley registering a personal best of 4:37.89, good for ECAC ‘A’ qualification; she missed Brittany Hunter’s 2004 record in the event by .06 seconds. In the women’s 100y butterfly, sophomore Cacky Keating placed eighth overall with an ECAC ‘A’ qualifying time of 59.03 seconds.
The Stags relays also set several records. The women’s 800y freestyle relay of Merz, Keating, Osmulski, and Yoshida placed third overall with a time of 7:45.92, breaking a program record and qualifying for ECACs. The previous standard was 7:48.67 set in 2009. The women’s 200y medley relay of Yoshida, Lawlor, Keating, and Pedrick set a program record with a finish of 1:48.22, clipping the previous best by .77 seconds.
The men’s 200y medley relay of sophomore Paul Bimmler, junior Brian Friedlander, junior Andrew Robinson, and junior Greg Bellizzi set a new program best with a time of 1:36.64, bettering the mark of 1:37.36 set last season at MAACs. The 800y freestyle relay of Robinson, Friedlander, junior Brendan Sarpu and Bimmler qualified for ECACs and tied the program record with a time of 7:07.26. The same time was achieved in 2009 with Robinson and Friedlander as members of that quartet as well.
Bimmler placed 14th in themen’s 100y backstroke with a time of 54.46 seconds. In the prelims of the event this morning, Bimmler set a program record with a time of 54.23 seconds, eclipsing the mark of 54.34 seconds set by Rob Willhoit in 2005. Meanwhile, junior Kenny Muti placed 16th in the event with a personal best of 55.46 seconds.
Friedlander placed 14th overall in the men’s 100y breaststroke after posting a personal best of 59.26 seconds. In the men’s 400y IM, junior Stefan Toi recorded a personal best of 4:12.84 and qualified for ECACs with an 11th place finish. Sophomore Andrew Hiss placed 15th overall with a time of 4:21.03.
In the women’s 3-meter diving, freshman Abigail Sanders placed 13th overall with a score of 157.60.
In the men’s 1000y freestyle, senior Jonathan O'Connor placed 15th overall with a personal best and an ECAC ‘A’ qualifying time of 10:00.79. Freshman Kevin Greener was 16th overall with a personal best and an ECAC ‘B’ qualifying time of 10:01.86. Tommy Peters finished in 10:36.61, a personal best, while Matt Palmer had a personal best of 11:49.12.
In the women’s 1000y freestyle, Amanda Gilsey posted a personal best of 11:03.23 while freshman Megan Kuzniewski had a personal best of 11:16.87. Sophomore Brigitte Germain finished with a time of 11:24.78, good for a personal best, and was followed by Colleen Wilson in 11:53.50 and Wanda Szarek in 12:06.85.
Through two days of competition, the Fairfield women stand in sixth place with 235 points while the men’s team is eighth with 139.5 points. Marist leads the women’s field with 607 points while Loyola University Maryland leads the men with 567 points.
The third and final day of competition at the MAAC Championships will begin on Saturday at 10am at the Burt Flickinger Athletic Center on the campus of Erie Community College begins.
Live Meet Results and a
Live Webcast are available for the three-day event. For complete event information, visit
MAAC Championship Central.
Friday’s Prelims
In the women’s 100y butterfly, five Stags posted personal bests; freshman Brianna Riley finished with an ECAC ‘B’ time of 1:01.00 and was followed by Gilseyin 1:02.30, Caroline Menapace in 1:03.86, Samantha Distler in 1:04.34, and senior Sasha Campbell in 1:05.57.
In the women’s 200y freestyle, sophomore Caitlin Moran had a time of 2:01.84 while Samantha Ceglia finished in 2:07.24 and Alyssa Conroy in 2:10.26, a personal best. In the women’s 100y breaststroke, senior Allison Russoniello just missed the cut after recording a time of 1:11.30 while Liz Garvey had a time of 1:13.24. In the women’s 400 IM, Emily Kelly recorded a personal best of 4:58.32.
In the women’s 100y back, Bridget McGowan had a personal best and ECAC qualifying time of 1:02.23 while Kelly notched a personal best of 1:03.09. Menapace finished in 1:05.54 while Annie O'Halloran stopped the clock in 1:08.74.
In the prelims of the women’s 3-meter diving, Kim Pettit had a score of 77.55.
In the men’s 100y fly, Robinson finished in an ECAC ‘A’ qualifying time of 53.37 seconds while classmates Bellizzi and Anthony Caserta touched in 55.47 seconds and 56.87 seconds, respectively.
In the men’s 200y freestyle, Sarpu posted a personal best and ECAC qualifying time of 1:48.83.Freshman Cody Parker finished in 1:50.51 and was followed by Peters in 1:50.74 and Tom Freda in 2:00.18.
In the men’s 100y breaststroke, senior Charlie Helm recorded an ECAC ‘A’ qualifying time of 1:00.81. Freshman Rich Straub had a personal best of 1:02.03 while sophomore Tim McCann finished in 1:04.52. In the men’s 400y IM, Muti had a personal best of 4:29.64. In the 100y back, Hiss clocked a time of 56.14 while freshman Kyle Rozanitis finished in 59.11 seconds.
