Feb. 25, 2009
FAIRFAX, Va. -- The 2009 Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Swimming and Diving Championships got underway on Wednesday on the campus of George Mason. The Monarchs reset a pair of ODU relay records as the 200 medley and 800 free teams each placed second to help the men's team to a tie for first place after day one action. The women's squad currently sits in fifth place.
The ODU men's swimming and diving squad currently leads the competition along with seven-time defending champions, UNC-Wilmington, with 68 points. William & Mary is in third with 62 points.
The ODU women's swimming and diving team is in fifth place with 62 points. Host George Mason currently leads the women's race with 116 points followed by James Madison and defending champion, Towson, tied for second with 98 points.
The championships kicked off with the 200 medley relay as both the men and women took second in the event. The Lady Monarch squad of sophomore April Barrientos (Va. Beach, Va.), freshmen Erla Haraldsdottir (Njardvik, Iceland) and Agata Nowak (Gorzow, Poland), and junior Liza Moiseeva (Moscow, Russia) claimed second with a time of 1:46.48, capturing the third fastest time in ODU history. On the men's side, sophomore Mikael Ramkvist (Bjarred, Sweden), freshman Arni Arnason (Msfellsbaer, Iceland), senior Johan Lundberg (Fjaras, Sweden), and sophomore Steven Loccisano (Fredericksburg, Va.) swam their way to a time of 1:30.36 setting a new ODU school record. The Monarchs surpassed the previous record of 1:31.37 set last season.
In the second relay event of the championships, the 800 free relay, the Monarchs also captured second place. The team of Loccisano, Ramkvist, sophomore Kris Hagg (Skovde, Sweden), and junior Chad Gangwer (Va. Beach, Va.) posted a time of 6:40.28 setting another ODU school record. They surpassed the previous mark of 6:42.52 set last season. The women's team of junior Kelly North (Newport News, Va.), freshmen Emma Forbes (Peekskill, N.Y.) and Maddie Stiles (Fairfax, Va.), and Moiseeva placed seventh with a time of 7:31.42.
In diving, senior Jasmine Moore (Yorktown, Va.) placed 13th on the 3-meter. The senior Lady Monarch collected a score of 226.15 on the event.
Action continues tomorrow as the Monarchs and Lady Monarchs compete in the 50 and 500 free, 200 IM, 200 free relay, and men's 1-meter diving.
CAA Championship Standings - Day One
Women - Team Scores Place School Points =================================================================== 1 GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY GMU 116 2 JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY JMU 98 2 TOWSON UNIVERSITY SWIMMING TOWS 98 4 WILLIAM AND MARY W&M 72 5 OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY ODU 62 6 DELAWARE DEL 59 7 UNC-WILMINGTON UNCW 58 8 DREXEL UNIVERSITY DREX 56 9 NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY NU 44
Men - Team Scores Place School Points =================================================================== 1 OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY ODU 68 1 UNC-WILMINGTON UNCW 68 3 WILLIAM AND MARY W&M 62 4 GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY GMU 58 5 TOWSON UNIVERSITY SWIMMING TOWS 56 6 DREXEL UNIVERSITY DREX 52 7 DELAWARE DEL 40