Vermont Swimming and Diving Wins Home Opener Over Niagara

The University of Vermont swimming and diving team defeated visiting Niagara on Sunday afternoon 140-83 in the Catamounts first home meet of the season at Forbush Natatorium. Sophomore Molly MacMillan (Doylestown, Pa.) and freshman Renee Gliddon (Acton, Mass.) each earned a pair of wins for Vermont as the team set two new pool records and one team freshmen mark on the day. With the win the Catamounts improve to 2-1 on the season.

"Today was a very solid performance from top to bottom," said Vermont head coach Gerry Cournoyer. "We were able to move some girls around and I am very happy with our depth, although we still have a lot of work ahead of us."

As a team Vermont took the top two spots in five different events and the top three spots once. MacMillan was victorious in the 50 freestyle (25.71) and the 500 free (5:09.16), while Gliddon won both the one (211.50) and three-meter (213.90) diving events.

The 200-medley relay team made up of freshman Kate Weaver (South Burlington, Vt.), junior Ashley Gillespie (Ithaca, N.Y.), sophomore Blayne Knapp (Glens Falls, N.Y.) and junior Rachel Kent (Mystic, Conn.) set a new pool record by taking first in a time of 1:51.88. In the same event the Catamounts B-relay team made up of rookies Stephanie Tomlin (Park City, Utah), Summer Pacelli (Madison, Conn.), Michelle Patrick (Jericho, Vt.) and Jacie Dick (South Barrington, Ill.) set a new UVM freshmen record with a time of 1:55.57.

Weaver would break the Catamounts' second pool record of the day when she won the 100 backstroke in a time of 58.26. Vermont took the top three slots in the 100 butterfly, led by Knapp who won in 1:01.97. Also earning victories for the Catamounts were junior Lauren Honrath (Monroe, Conn.) in the 1,000 free (10:54.10), sophomore Colleen Clark (Unionville, Conn.) in the 200 free (1:55.85) and senior Nicole Underhill (South Burlington, Vt.) in the 200 IM (2: 17.27).

Also on Sunday the Niagara men's team defeated Saint Michael's 178-44 at Forbush Natatorium.

The Catamounts return to action again on Saturday when they host former America East foe Northeastern starting at 12:00pm.