Swimming and Diving Ready To Defend Title

The Central Connecticut State University swimming and diving team will attempt to win the Northeast Conference Championship for the third straight season this weekend. The conference championship meet will be held at Yale University in New Haven, CT on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Prelim action will start at 10:00 a.m. each day and finals will begin at 6:00 p.m.

A year ago the Blue Devils won 16 of 20 events to repeat as NEC Champions with 552 points to Wagner's 535. This year head coach Bill Ball and the CCSU squad are ready to defend the crown once again. Ball and diving coach Dave Maliar were selected as NEC Coach and Diving Coach of the Year last season, while sophomore Alex Czaplicki was named the Rookie of the Year in the conference a year ago.

Czaplicki, who won three individual races and was a part of two champion relay teams last season, returns to lead Central at this year's championships. The sophomore was victorious in the 100 and 200 backstroke, as well as the 200 IM last season. This time around she is the first or second seed in all three of those events, and is also the first seed in the 400 IM.

Newcomer Taylor Friedmann will vie for gold medalist honors in three freestyle events this weekend. The only CCSU team member to receive NEC Swimmer of the Week honors this season, she is the top seed in the 200, 500 and 1650 freestyle events. Senior Kandra Kane will be right alongside Friedmann in the distance free events as she is the second seed in the 200 and 500, and seeded third in the 1650.

As last year's champion in the 200 breaststroke, sophomore Kristen Malski will attempt to defend her crown in the event. She is also the top seed in the 100 breast, which she finished second in a season at last year's championships. Senior Kristen Rossi and sophomore Madison Vestergaard will vie for championships in both the one-meter and three-meter diving events. The two have earned eight NEC Diver of the Week honors between them this season.

NEC Championship Page

Schedule of Events

Thursday, February 11
200 yard freestyle relay
500 yard freestyle
200 yard individual medley
50 yard freestyle
400 yard medley relay
One-meter diving

Friday, February 12
200 yard medley relay
400 yard individual medley
100 yard butterfly
200 yard freestyle
100 yard breaststroke
100 yard backstroke
800 yard freestyle relay (swam at finals)

Saturday, February 13
200 yard backstroke
100 yard freestyle
200 yard breaststroke
200 yard butterfly
400 yard freestyle relay
1,650 yard freestyle (last heat swam at finals)
Three-meter diving