FAIRFIELD, Conn. – After returning home from their training trips to St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands and Coral Springs, Fla., the Fairfield University swimming & diving team will host St. Francis Brooklyn on Sunday, January 18 for their first home meet of 2015. The meet is set for 1pm and will be held at the RecPlex Pool.
Fairfield vs. St. Francis Brooklyn: Sunday’s meet will be the first time the two programs will compete within the last four years.
A Look at the Terriers: St. Francis Brooklyn’s men’s team is 0-2 while the women’s team stands 0-6 so far this season. The men’s team has fallen to Iona and Rowan while the women’s team has fallen to Iona, Sacred Heart, Wagner, Mount St. Mary’s, Rowan , and St. Francis University. The men’s team closed out the 2013-14 campaign owning a 3-7 overall record and placing seventh overall at the Metropolitan Championships while the women went 5-8 that year.
Last Time Out: The swimming & diving team last competed at the Terrier Invitational on November 21-23 at Boston University’s Competition Pool. The women’s team set two program records while both the men’s and women’s team placed fifth at the three-day event.
On the women’s side, eleven Stags qualified to compete in the final rounds of their events on the final day. Senior Meredith LaBerge set a new program record of 17:35.30 for the 1650y freestyle event on November 23. LaBerge beat her own previous record of 17:35.32 set on February 16, 2013. Rookie Sierra Weiner also set a new program record for the Stags. Weiner clocked a 4:32.10 in the 400y IM on November 22, beating the previous program record of 4:34.66 set by Margaret Osmulski on February 17, 2012. Senior Ashlee Steinberger qualified for both the 1-meter and 3-meter diving events for the women. In the 1-meter event, Steinberger posted a 224.10 to finish fifth overall. On the 3-meter board, she recorded a 211.20 to place sixth.
On the men’s side, fourteen Stags qualified to compete in the finals of their events on the final day. In the B-Final of the 200y breaststroke, Connor Daly posted a 2:11.98 to finish sixth in the final and 14th overall. In the C-final of the event, Kevin Kett recorded a 2:22.44 to place 24th and finish eighth in the final. In the B-Final of the 1650y freestyle, Andrew Robinson clocked a 16:32.70 to finish 11th overall and place third in the final. In the C-Final of the 200y backstroke event, Collin Hayes clocked a 2:02.57, to finish sixth in the final and 22nd overall. Sophomore Daniel Pires qualified for both the 1-meter and 3-meter diving events for the men. In the 1-meter event, Pires posted a 228.50 to finish seventh overall. On the 3-meter board, he recorded a 256.40 to place third. Senior Evan Barr had a final 3-meter score of 230.85 to finish fifth overall.
Weekly Winner: Senior Ashlee Steinberger was named MAAC Female Diver of the Week after being the top-finisher for the Stags at the Terrier Invitational on November 21-23 at Boston University’s Competition Pool. Steinberger qualified for the final rounds of both the 1-meter and 3-meter diving events by posting solid scores in the preliminary rounds. Steinberger placed fifth on the 1-meter board in the preliminaries, with a score of 208.70, and finished fourth on the 3-meter, with score of 214.95. In the final 1-meter event, Steinberger posted a 224.10 to finish fifth overall. On the 3-meter board, she recorded a final 211.20 to place sixth. Steinberger faced big competition, with schools such as University of Massachusetts – New England, Boston University, Boston College, and Army participating in the event.
Looking Ahead: After Sunday’s competition, Fairfield will make another splash in the RecPlex Pool on Friday, January 23. The Stags will take on Boston College at 1pm.
