Swimming and Diving Set to Compete at 2008 AE Championships
February 13, 2008 | Men's Swimming & Diving
Feb. 13, 2008
BOSTON - The Boston University swimming and diving program will head to Maine for the 2008 America East Swimming and Diving Championships on Thursday, Feb. 14 through Sunday, Feb. 17. The men's team will look to dethrone UMBC, which won its fourth-straight conference crown in 2007, while the women's squad will be looking to claim its fifth title in program history.
The men will be led by reigning America East Performer of the Week Arik Seiler, who recorded the third-fastest 200 free in the conference with a time of one minute, 42.16 seconds. He also ranks fifth in the 200 IM (1: 56.79) and in the 500 free (4:39.17). Freshman Matt Rickett swam a 51.17 earlier this season, which was the third fastest time in the league this year. Law student Eric Carlson is third in the conference in the 100 breaststroke (58.64), while ranking second in the 200 breaststroke (2:08.85). Sophomore Jeff Wurm is third in the 100 back (51.84) and third in the 200 back (1:52.28). Wurm, in his first year at BU, has already broken school records in the 200 back and 200 breaststroke.
On the one-meter board, Andre Watson recorded a conference-high 363.00, which also is a BU pool record, while his score of 362.18 on the three-meter is second in the conference. Watson, a first-year Terrier, owns all but two diving records at BU. He broke the one-meter six and 12 dives, while claiming the 3-meter 12-dive record. All were earned at Competition Pool, which broke the pool records as well.
On the women's side, sophomore Brigette O'Shaughnessy provided the fastest time of the season in the conference in the 400 IM (4:25.65), while sophomore Emily Munday ranks second in the 50 free (24.62). O'Shaughnessy is also second in the 200 free (1:52.29). Junior Eve Kinsella swam a 52.53 earlier in the season, and the time held as the second fastest in the conference. Junior Christina Ruggiero will give the Terriers added spark in the distance events during the championship, as she currently ranks fourth in the conference in the 1000 free with a time of 10:26.51.
In the diving events, the duo of juniors Tess Waresmith and Alex Crerar have dominated this season, claiming the top two scores in the conference. Waresmith recorded a score of 337.35 on the three-meter and a 333.00 on the one-meter to lead the conference, while Crerar earned scores of 292.33 and 291.60 on the three- and one-meter boards.
