WHITE RIVER JUNCTION, VT. 2/8/13 – There might be cold, blizzard conditions outside, but Keene State College swim teams turned up the temperature in the pool in the first day of competition at the New England Intercollegiate Swimming and Diving Association (NEISDA) championships at the Upper Valley Aquatics Center in White River Junction, Vt. on Friday.
Keene State swimmers combined to win 12 races, post four NCAA Division III qualifying times and set one meet record on the way to taking a substantial lead in the team standings.
After 16 events, the Keene State men, who are looking for their fourth NEISDA title, have a 377-247 lead over Roger Williams University while the KSC women, in the hunt for their fifth NEISDA crown, are in front of Eastern Conn. 588-384.5.
There's something about the NEISDA championships that brings out the best in Drew Ledwith. The junior All-American from Keene, N.H. broke his own meet record in the 500 free with a NCAA Division III championship A cut qualifying and school record time of 4:27.29. Freshman Shahar Resman (Asdol, Israel) finished second with a NCAA B cut qualifying time of 4:36.77.
The KSC men swept the top three sports in three races. Junior Jared Hyde (Tolland, Conn.) won the 200 IM race with a NCAA B cut qualifying time of 1:52.32. Freshman Cole Hogg (Manchester, Conn.) was second (1:55.50) and senior Marc Marois (Derry, N.H.) placed third (1:58.58).
Freshman Greg Youngstrom (West Hartford, Conn.) finished first in the 50 free with a NCAA B cut qualifying time of 20.52. Junior James Black (Lynn, Mass.) was second (21.16) and senior Austin Harris (Essex Junction, Vt.) took third (21.26).
Hogg raced to a first place finish in the 100 fly with a time of 51.58. Junior Dan Oliveria (Ludlow, Mass.) was second (52.23) and freshman Zachary Tyropolis (Waterford, Conn.) was third (53.22).
In other races, juniors Randy Dunton (St. Cloud, Fla.) and James Norris (Ansonia, Conn.) finished second (1:53.31) and third (1:57.28) respectively in the 200 back and junior Tyler Tambascio (Greenwich, Conn.) placed third (27.58) in the 50 breast.
KSC won both relays. The team of Black, Harris Youngstrom and Hyde finished first in the 200 free relay with a NCAA B cut qualifying time of 1:23.24. Ledwith, Dunton, Black and Harris joined up to win the 400 medley relay (3:28.13).
The Keene State won swept the top three spots in a couple of races. Sophomore Diana Pimer (West Haven, Conn.) won the 200 IM with a time of 2:09.57. Junior Alexis Houser (New Hope, Pa.) was second (2:13.19) and junior Stephanie Murray (Haverhill, Mass.) was third (2:13.45).
Sophomore Julie Trodden (Reading, Mass.) swam to a first place finish (5:07.69) in the 500 free. Sophomore Caitlin Shea (Salem, N.H.) was second (5:09.41) and freshman Rebecca Stewart (East Lyme, Conn.) was thi9rd (5:19.47).
Freshman Alison Bartlett (Stratham, N.H.) won the 50 free (24.09) and Murray touched the wall first in the 200 back (2:10.06) Junior Nicole Rutigliano (Woodbury, Conn.) placed second with a time of 2:10.88. Freshman Corrina Nickerson (Torrington, Conn.) also had a second place finish (31.23) in the 50 breast.
The Owl women won both relays. Sophomore Taylor DaSilva (Stony Brook, N.Y.) joined Murray, Houser and Bartlett to win the 200 free relay (1:38.58). The team of Rutigliano, Shea, Pimer and Trodden won the 400 medley relay with a time of 4:02.37.
The three-day championship meet continues on Saturday.
