2013 CAA Swimming & Diving Championships Preview
RICHMOND, Va. (Feb. 26, 2013) - The 2013
CAA Swimming and Diving Championships are set to begin Wednesday afternoon at
the Jim McKay Natatorium on the campus of George Mason University in Fairfax,
Va. The four-day conference meet will conclude on Saturday evening.
The UNCW men's team will be attempting to
capture an unprecedented 12th straight CAA championship this
weekend, while the James Madison women will be looking to defend their 2012
title.
Leading the Seahawks' men's team will be
the trio of junior Joe Gallene, sophomore
Valtteri Halonen, and sophomore Nick Lowe. Gallene will look to secure
points for UNCW in the freestyle events after posting the second-best times in
the 50 and 100 free this season. He is defending champion in the 100 free.
Halonen will be called on for the backstroke events as he set the top mark in
the 200 back this season with a 1:48.25. Lowe will be looking to make his mark
in the butterfly events as the defending 100 fly champion. He posted the
second-best time this season in the CAA in that event. UNCW will be looking to
capitalize on its relay performances this week after setting new meet records
last season in the 200 and 400 freestyle relay, and the 200 medley relay.
George Mason will be looking to knock off
UNCW in its home waters after finishing as the runner-up for the last three
years. The Patriots will be led by defending 200 fly champion senior David Kiss, who set a new meet record
in the event last season and has posted the top time in the CAA this season
(1:50.25). He also recorded the second-fastest time in the 200 free. Mason will
be looking to senior diver John Schmitz
to secure points on the boards. The two-time CAA Diver of the Week holds the
third-best score this season on the thee-meter board.
William & Mary will be looking to end
UNCW's decade-long reign after earning third-place honors last season. The
Tribe will be led by junior Andrew Strait
who holds top times this season in the 100 back (54.85) and the 200 IM
(1:52.15). Freshman Andrew Nyce has also made his mark this season for W&M
after posting the second-fastest time in the CAA in the 400 IM, while defending
CAA Rookie of the Year Kemp Pettyjohn
will look to capitalize on last year's success.
Other notable entrants in this year's event
include Old Dominion junior Sidni Hoxha,
Delaware senior Ryan Roberts, and
Drexel freshman David Sanchez.
Hoxha, the defending 50 free champion, posted the top times in the CAA this
season in the 50 (19.83), 100 (45.43), and 200 (1:37.55) free. Roberts will
look to defend his title in 200 back, and posted the second-best time this
season in the event while also recording the top time in the 500 free (4:34.57).
Sanchez has made his presence felt for the Dragons, and enters the meet with
the top scores in the one (294.05) and three meter (313.50) dives this season.
On the women's side, James Madison will
look to sophomore Sin Hye Won and
junior Kelsey Holmgaard in the pool,
while senior Kimberly Helfrich will
look to secure points on the diving boards. Won, the 2012 CAA Co-Rookie of the
Year, enters the meet with the second-fastest time in the 200 breast this
season, while Holmgaard holds top-five times in the 200 free, 200 breast, and
the 200 IM. Helfrich, the defending champion on the 3-meter board, will look to
make a splash after tallying the top scores on the one (327.85) and three meter
(322.50) dives this season. The Dukes will also be looking for repeat success
in the relay competitions as defending champions in the 200 and 800 freestyle
relays, and the 400 medley relay.
Towson has claimed four of the last five CAA
championships, and will be looking to win back the title after finishing second
to the Dukes last season. Leading the Tigers will be defending 500 and 1650
free champion Kaitlin Burke. The
junior freestyle swimmer also holds the top times this season in the 200
(1:50.45), 500 (4:49.31), and 1650 (16:32.95) freestyle events. Sophomore diver
Lyndsey Dickson will look to secure
points on the boards for Towson. She enters the meet with the second best score
on the three-meter board, and fourth best on the one-meter board.
UNCW will be looking to win its first CAA
championship since 2006 after finishing third in 2012. The Seahawks will look
to defending 50 free champion Carly
Tanner for points after posting the top time in the 50 free this season
(23.06), and holding top five times in the 100 free and the 100 breast. Also
looking to make a splash for UNCW will be defending Co-Rookie Swimmer of the
Year Hannah Stephenson, who will
look to defend her title in the 100 back, and enters the meet with the second
fastest time recorded in the event this season. The Seahawks will also enter
the meet as defending champions in the 400 freestyle relay after setting a new
meet record last season.
Other notable entrants on the women's side
include Old Dominion seniors Kimberly
Rashleigh and Jessica Hubert,
and Northeastern senior Keary McClernan.
Rashleigh enters the meet with top times in the 200 (2:01.45) and 400 (4:14.26)
IM, while Hubert holds the top times in the 100 (55.49) and 200 (1:58.86) fly.
McClernan holds the top time in the 200 breast (2:18.06) this season.
For
more information on the 2013 CAA Swimming and Diving championships including
daily recaps, highlights, live results, and official program please visit the Championship
Central page. Fans not in attendance at the championship can watch all the
finals of all the events live and for free on CAA.TV.