University of Massachusets Athletics
Swimming and Diving Heads To Atlantic 10 Championships This Week
February 15, 2005 | Men's Swimming & Diving
Feb. 15, 2005
AMHERST, Mass. - Looking to create a dynasty of their own, the University of Massachusetts men's and women's swimming and diving teams head to Buffalo, N.Y. this week to take part in the Atlantic 10 Conference Championship meet hosted by St. Bonaventure University. The men's team looks for its eighth overall team title, fifth consecutive, while the women's team is going for its second title in program history.
Senior Justin Zeimetz (Rochester, N.H.) looks to become the first swimmer in program history to become a two-time champion in three different events as he won the league's 50-yard freestyle, 100-yard freestyle, and 100-yard backstroke last year.
Joining Zeimetz in the defending champion circle are Evan Swisher (North Bennington, Vt.) in the 200-yard back, Greg Chartier (Amherst, Mass.) in the 400-yard individual medley, and Dylan Smith (Timonium, Md.) in the 100-yard butterfly. Smith is the team's only two-time defending champion as he won the event in 2003 as well.
For just the ninth time in the program's history, the men's swimming and diving team finished its regular season undefeated as the Minutemen.
The women's side of the meet will be a dog-fight with Richmond and St. Bonaventure, the league champion and runner-up from last season respectively, being the league favorites.
The lone defending champion for the Minutewomen is sophomore Mary Jenkins (Acton, Mass.) in the one meter dive. Jenkins again leads UMass on the one-meter and three-meter boards and her points could be huge in the final outcome. She leads the A-10 in the three-meter dive and ranks second in the one-meter dive heading into the week.
Sophomore Nicole LeBarge (Lee, N.H.) leads UMass in the sprint freestyle events winning a combined 10 races in the 50 and 100-yard freestyles.
The Minutewomen feature a blend of senior leadership and young talent as seniors Colleen Wasson (Harleysville, Pa.) and Lynette Sweeney (Plymouth, Mass.) and juniors Aimee Bourassa (Ottawa, Ontario) and Kelly Hoffrage (St. Charles, Ill.) anchor the team. Freshmen Susan Allen (Pittsford, N.Y.), Samantha Demty (Seekonk, Mass.) and Allison Volpe (Pottstown, Pa.) along with sophomores Vanessa Fleguel (Stittsville, Ontario), Liz Lovejoy (Reading, Mass.), and Laura Whelton (Wrentham, Mass.) have been some of UMass' most consistent point scorers this season and will give depth to the team at the league meet.
The championship meet will kick off on Wednesday night (Feb. 16) at 6:30 p.m. at the Flickinger Athletic Center in Buffalo, N.Y. The meet will conclude on Saturday (Feb. 19). Time trials on Thursday, Friday and Saturday will begin at 10:30 a.m. with finals starting at 6:30 p.m. each day.
Daily results will be posted at UMassAthletics.com following each day's competition.