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.: A-10: Richmond Women Cruise, Bonaventure Wins on Final Relay
Buffalo, NY , February 19th, 2006
The entire men’s Championship came down to a single race: the 400-yard freestyle relay. St. Bonaventure led 661.5-660.5 heading into the final event of the competition after a courageous comeback effort that began Friday night. The two teams did not swim in the same heat, however, as the Minutemen swam first touching in a time of 3:07.40.
The Bonnies sealed the gold in the relay and the championship title when freshman Alex Moniot, sophomore Roman Margulis and seniors Patrick Doret and Michal Bogaki finished in a time of 3:03.49.
Saturday night began with the 1,650-yard freestyle as St. Bonaventure trailed Massachusetts by only 4.5 points, the closest any team has been entering the final night since the Minutemen began their reign.
Massachusetts extended its lead early, taking the silver in the distance run as freshman Brad Sloan finished behind Xavier’s freshman Sam Gray who touched in at 16:29.00. Sloan’s silver aided Massachusetts to extend its lead to 30 points.
St. Bonaventure placed four swimmers in the top 16 of the 200-backstroke, and narrowed the gap to just seven after two events. George Washington freshman David Zenk won the gold in the event in a time of 1:48.63. Zenk’s gold was the third of the weekend for the rookie participating in his first collegiate Championship.
The Bonnies took their first lead of the Championship after placing five swimmers in the top 16 of the 200-free. Senior Bogacki earned silver, following Duqesne’s junior Ed Wicker who claimed gold in .44.73. St. Bonaventure led 596.5-573.5 with two individual events and a relay to follow.
St. Bonaventure senior Adrian Blaszczak earned his fourth-straight gold medal in the 200-breast in 2:03.79, while teammate sophomore Scott Jordan captured silver helping the Bonnies hold onto an 11-point lead.
In the final individual event the Minutemen placed four swimmers in the top 16, while St. Bonaventure placed three. St. Bonaventure’s Bogacki capped an outstanding Championship with a silver medal in the 200-fly keeping the Bonnies ahead by one. La Salle’s Sean Connors-McBride took the gold in a time of 1:49.49.
On the women’s side, the evening began with Richmond sophomore Jessica Witt claiming the gold in the 1,650-yard freestyle in 16:49.13. Richmond’s junior Caitlin Geary was the silver-medal winner in the event as well.
Duquesne sophomore Kyla Favret earned gold in the 200-back, touching in at 2:04.64, earning the Dukes’ second gold medal of the championship.
St. Bonaventure senior Stephanie Belke earned his first Atlantic 10 Championship gold medal in her final race, winning the 100-free in 51.43.
Richmond’s freshman Lauren Beaudreau capped a stellar rookie campaign winning gold in the 200-breast in 2:15.62. The winning time was the third Atlantic 10 record and NCAA B qualifier the freshman claimed in her first Championship. Beaudreau’s breast time is also a Flickinger Center record. St. Bonaventure’s sophomore Anneli Johnson earned silver and qualified for the NCAA B flight in a time of 2:18.04.
Saint Louis freshman Elena Ramirez earned her second gold of the Championship taking first in the 200-fly in 2:01.42.
On the three-meter boards, freshman Karen Upperco took gold for Massachusetts with a score of 512.40.
The women’s 400-free relay decided second-place as St. Bonaventure and Massachusetts entered the final relay tied for second (435). St. Bonaventure captured the event in 2:38.57, securing second place.
Final scores for the women’s Championship were as follows: Richmond (747), St. Bonaventure (475), University of Massachusetts (467), Duquesne (417), Xavier (380), St. Louis (322), Fordham (316), George Washington (226), La Salle (169) and Rhode Island (132).
For the men: St. Bonaventure (701.5), University of Massachusetts (692.5), Xavier (424), La Salle (390), Fordham (359), Duquesne (359), George Washington (284), St. Louis (200) and Rhode Island (167).
AWARD WINNERS: Women’s Most Outstanding Performer: Jessica Witt (Richmond) Women’s Most Outstanding Rookie: Lauren Beaudreau (Richmond) Women’s Most Outstanding Diver: Karen Upperco (Massachusetts) Women’s Coach of the Year: Matt Barany (Richmond) Women’s Diving Coach of the Year: Mandy Hixon (Massachusetts) Men’s Most Outstanding Performer: David Zenk (George Washington) Men’s Most Outstanding Rookie: David Zenk (George Washington) Men’s Most Outstanding Diver: Karo Isajan (La Salle) Men’s Coach of the Year: Sean McNamee (St. Bonaventure) Men’s Diving Coach of the Year: Diane Maise (La Salle)
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.: Richmond, UMass Defend A10 Titles Feb 23rd
.: Competition Concludes at Nutmeg Invitational Dec 2nd
.: Old Dominion Tops George Washington Dec 1st
