The 2018 America East men’s and women’s Swimming and Diving Championships concluded on Feb. 18 with a total of eight conference records broken over the course of the four-day meet.
The New Hampshire Wildcats won the women’s America East Conference team title with 794 points. University of Maryland-Baltimore County (UMBC) finished a close second with 789.5 points, followed by Vermont (652), Binghamton (485.5), Maine (402) and Virginia Military Institute (134).
The UMBC men won all of the swimming events and relays as well as one diving event to win the men’s meet with 1113 points. Binghamton took second with a total score of 817.5, followed by Maine (576.5) and Virginia Military Institute (358).
New Hampshire’s Liza Baykova had herself a meet, sweeping the 50 (22.95), 100 (49.58) and 200 (1:47.76) freestyles. The senior rewrote the America East record in the shortest sprint to become the first swimmer to dip under the 23-second barrier. At finals, she also broke her own 100 free record by .02 that she set during prelims.
UMBC’s Hania Moro, who is the Egyptian national record holder in the 400-meter and 800-meter freestyles, earned gold in both the women’s 500 free (4:51.89) and the 1650 (16:53.55). She also picked up third in the 200 free (1:50.39).
UMBC’s Emily Vance swept both backstroke events, finding herself on top of the podium for the 100 (54.50) and 200 (1:57.61). The sophomore eclipsed the previous conference record of 1:57.98 set back in 2011 in the longer of the two distances.
New Hampshire’s Corinne Carbone earned gold in both the 200 IM (2:01.86) and 400 IM (4:17.76). The sophomore also picked up the bronze in the 100 free (51.59).
UMBC freshman Natalija Marin and Binghamton junior Brooke Pettis tied for first in the women’s 100 fly, both stopping the clock in 55.37. Marin was the individual champion in the 200 fly after posting a final time of 2:02.67.
New Hampshire sophomore Milana Evsten won the 100 breast in 1:02.40 and Vermont senior Shannon Cowley got her hands to the wall first in the 200 breast (2:18.84).
On the boards, New Hampshire’s Hailee Miller won the 1-meter (236.80) and her teammate Allyson Stefanelli dove to first on the 3-meter (244.75).
On the men’s side, UMBC’s Alexander Gliese swam his way to the gold medal in three different events. The junior won the 500 free (4:27.81), 100 back (48.55) and 200 back (1:45.27). His time in the 200 back set a new conference record.
UMBC’s Ilia Rattsev also won three events, finishing first in the 50 free (20.00), just .02 shy of the conference mark of 19.98. He also took the top spot in the 100 free (43.92) and 200 free (1:37.14).
UMBC’s Nikola Trajkovic won both the 200 IM (1:49.30) and 400 IM (3:55.20) while his teammate Philip Adejumo won the 100 fly in 47.43 and the 200 fly in 1:48.13. Haythem Abdelkhalek won the men’s mile in 15:21.31 in record-setting fashion to pick up more points for the Retrievers.
UMBC’s Luis Galvan Cardenas set records in both breaststroke events. The sophomore won the 100 breast en route to setting a new America East record with a final time of 55.05 and set a new mark in the 200 with a time of 1:58.77.
On the boards, Binghamton rookie David Walters won the 1-meter (277.05) while UMBC’s Ben Parker took first on the 3-meter (276.85).
Full results can be found on Meet Mobile – 2018 America East Championships.
Kregg Ambrosius Deeryy