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University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Rhode Island Invitational
Swimming & Diving Teams Win Rhode Island Invitational
January 15, 2007 | Men's Swimming & Diving
Jan. 15, 2007
KINGSTON, R.I. - The UMass men's and women's swimming & diving teams started 2007 off on the right foot this weekend after winning the Rhode Island Invitational that took place on Friday and Saturday. The women's team won the meet with a total of 511 points, while the men's team tallied 550 points. The meet was an important one as it was the first after a month-long break and featured three Atlantic 10 teams: Rhode Island, George Washington and La Salle.
In the women's meet, La Salle finished second with 466 points, Rhode Island third with 377 points and George Washington fourth with 342 points. The men's side was a mirror of the women's meet with La Salle taking second (501 points), Rhode Island second with 327 points and George Washington fourth with 322 points.
The meet was a tough one for both teams who returned from their training trip in Puerto Rico approximately 12 hours prior to the meet start on Friday. For the women's team, the meet marked the return of senior Nicole LeBarge (Lee, N.H.) who missed the fall semester while studying abroad in Italy.
Despite missing the fall competition time, LeBarge was impressive in her first meet back taking second in the 50 free (25.52 seconds) and sixth in the 100 free (56.93 seconds).
Junior Sam Demty (Seekonk, Mass.) and sophomore Christa Narus (Stony Brook, N.Y.) each had solid weekends. The duo paired up for a third and fourth finish, respectively, in the 200 individual medley. Demty then won the 400 IM and took second in the 200 butterfly. Demty finished second to Narus in the fly who also won the 100 butterlfy.
As they have been all season, the UMass divers continued with their strong performances as senior Mary Jenkins (Acton, Mass.) and sophomore Karen Upperco (Titusville, N.J.) won the one-meter and three-meter diving events, respectively.
On the men's side, senior Evan Swisher (North Bennington, Vt.) continued his outstanding season with win in the 100 backstroke, a second-place finish in the 200 IM, and a second-place finish in the 200 back.
Senior Jake Hogue (Grand Junction, Colo.) had two event victories on the weekend winning the 100 breaststroke and the 200 breast.
Senior Greg Chartier (Amherst, Mass.) won the 200 freestyle and took second in the 100 free, while freshman Juan Moliere (San Juan, Puerto Rico) won the 50 free and finished fifth in the 100 free.
Junior Zack Priest (Cranston, R.I.) won the 100 fly and freshman Justin Brooks (Dedham, Mass.) rounded out the top performers with a win the 1,000 freestyle in a season-best 9:59.63 and a sixth-place effort in the 400 IM.
Junior R.J. Rappe (Farmington, Minn.) won the three-meter dive and took second on the one-meter.
The UMass swimming & diving teams will return to action this Saturday with a home dual meet against Boston College in the Joseph R. Rogers, Jr. Pool located in Boyden Gymnasium. The meet is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start and will be video streamed live for free on the internet. Pat Seeley and Isaac Ebert will call the action for the meet. Prior to the start of the meet, UMass will honor the senior classes of both the men's and women's teams.
