HOBOKEN, N.J. (December 6, 2010) – The Stevens Institute of Technology women’s swimming team placed second at the 2010 ECAC Championships on Sunday, ending the three-day event with a team total of 1,592 points, just .50 behind winner Stony Brook University (1,592.50). As a team, the Ducks recorded 18 NCAA cuts in total with the 400-yard freestyle relay team recording an NCAA A-cut in a winning effort, and freshman Louise Moores earning the most individual points at the championship meet.
Trailing Stony Brook and Stevens was SUNY Geneseo (1,470), SUNY New Paltz (1,031), and SUNY Oneonta (451) as a total of 13 teams competed as this year’s championships.
Friday (Day 1)
To open the meet, graduate student Gabrielle Czernik, sophomore Marissa Douglas, Moores, and senior Laura Barito teamed to finish the 200-yard medley relay in 1:45.62 which was good for a win and an NCAA B-cut.
Sophomore Victoria Baldwin won the mile with a 17:41.76 as senior captain Amanda Nauman placed third, clocking a 17:46.17. Junior Kim McCaffrey placed seventh in the same event with a time of 18:14.83.
Saturday (Day 2)
In the morning session, freshman Megan Lisbon started the Ducks off on the right foot in recording an NCAA B-cut in the 200-yard backstroke, placing second, and setting a new school-record in the process with her time of 2:04.31. The Duck freshman broke the former program-best by more than two seconds. Douglas was fourth in the event, carding a 2:10.88.
Barito and Moores went two-three in the 100-yard freestyle with both athletes notching NCAA B-cuts. Barito finished with a 51.60 and Moores clocked a 51.92. Junior Hayley Hatfield and sophomore Natalie Fitz were eighth and ninth.
Junior Sian Pearson won the 200-yard butterfly and Nauman was second as both athletes tallied NCAA B-cuts with their times of 2:07.16 and 2:07.32. Czernik was Stevens’ top finisher in the 200-yard breaststroke, placing fifth with a time of 2:27.04.
In the final event of the morning session, the Ducks recorded another NCAA B-cut as Barito, Douglas, Hatfield, and Pearson teamed to win the 800-yard freestyle relay with a time of 7:41.42.
Stevens began the evening session with a B-cut in the 200-yard freestyle relay, clocking a 1:35.77 and winning the event. Moores tallied an A-cut with a 56.52 in winning the 100-yard backstroke and also set a new school-record, while Czernik finished third in the event with a 58.94 and Lisbon took fourth (59.53).
Pearson earned an NCAA B-cut in placing second in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1:53.28, while freshman Rebecca Dunn was the Ducks’ top finisher in the 100-yard breaststroke, finishing in eighth place (1:10.95).
Moores and Barito went one-two in the 100-yard butterfly with NCAA B-cut times of 56.95 and 57.52 as Moores’ time was good for a new program-record. Czernik was fourth, turning in a 58.29.
Douglas and Lisbon finished first and second in the 400-yard individual medley, clocking B-cut times of 4:35.24 and 4:36.54, respectively.
Sunday (Day 3)
In the first event, Lisbon, Czernik, Moores, and Barito turned in a 3:53.85 in recording an NCAA B-cut and winning the 400-yard medley relay. Pearson placed second in the 500-yard freestyle, earning B-cut with her time of 5:02.94, as Nauman took fourth in the same event (5:09.64).
Barito carded a B-cut in the 50-yard freestyle, placing first with a 23.61 and Moores was second with a time of 24.18. Hatfield took fourth, clocking a 24.32. Douglas turned in a 2:11.23 in winning the 200-yard individual medley, while Czernik’s 2:12.20 was good for third. Lisbon placed fourth with a 2:12.31.
The final event of the championships was the 400-free relay as Pearson, Hatfield, Moores, and Barito teamed to record an A-cut time of 3:27.36**. It set a new school-record by .03 seconds.
Moores was named the Swimmer of the Meet after accumulating a meet-high 119 points. Lisbon (108), Nauman (106), Pearson (105), and Czernik (105) all finished in the top-5.
Individual NCAA Cuts
A-Cuts – Moores (100-back)
B-Cuts – Lisbon (200-back, 400-IM); Barito (100-free, 100-fly, 50-free); Moores (100-free, 100-fly); Pearson (200-fly, 200-free, 500-free); Nauman (200-fly); Douglas (400-IM);
Relay NCAA Cuts
A-Cuts – 400-free
B-Cuts – 200-medley, 800-free, 200-free, 400-medley
**Note - The 400-yard freestyle relay time of 3:27.06 qualified the Ducks for the US Nationals this summer.