ECU Makes Impressive Showing At C-USA Meet
March 03, 2010 | Swimming & Diving
March 3, 2010
HOUSTON --- The East Carolina women's swimming and diving team recorded its first second-place finish since 2006 at the Conference USA Swimming & Diving Championship and Invitational over the weekend. The Pirates only finished behind 19th-ranked SMU, which claimed its fifth consecutive C-USA title.
East Carolina moved into second place on the final day of the competition with a team score of 611, while Rice (596) claimed third place. Houston (533.50) took fourth place with Tulane (277) and Marshall (188) earning fifth and sixth, respectively.
A total of eight ladies achieved all-conference recognition by finishing among the top three in their respective events. Senior Rachel Blue, junior Jenna Stewart, sophomore Kelsey Brosi and freshman Natalia Favoretto each earned all-league accolades in four events. Blue was the only member of the foursome to finish among the top three in two individual events (200 and 500 free). The foursome combined to record an NCAA `B' time in the 400-yard free relay.
Brosi set a new ECU record in the 200 back (2:00.92) as did Stewart in the 100 free (49.92). Freshman Kayla Ford also established the freshman record in the 200 back (2:01.32).
Freshman Holly Berenotto, sophomore Michelle Gadowry along with junior Kylie Francis and Stephanie Harper picked up all-conference honors as relay team members.
Francis joined Brosi, Favoretto and Stewart to set the ECU varsity record in the 200-yard free relay (1:32.54), which was also an NCAA `B' cut time.
The men's team earned a fourth-place finish at the C-USA Invitational led by junior Thiago Cavalcanti, who set two varsity records and earned all-conference accolades in four events.
Cavalcanti set school records in the 1,000 (9:16.06) and 1,650 free (15:31.78) and earned all-conference honors in the 1,650 free. He also recorded top three finishes in the 200 and 500 free. He posted NCAA `B' cut times in the 500 and 1,650 free.
Jonathan Bailey, Andrew Christian and Blake Briese teamed with Cavalcanti to earn all-conference status in the 800-yard free relay.
Sophomore Travis Stauder set varsity records and posted NCAA `B' cut times in the 100 (54.72) and 200 breast (1:59.63). His performances earned him all-league honors in both events. Senior Jeffrey Miller posted an NCAA `B' time in the 400 IM.
A pair of school records fell in the 200 fly. Sophomore Andrew Stoker set the varsity record (1:48.82) and rookie Chris Borysewicz set the freshman mark (1:50.15).
The freshman divers also scored valuable points for both teams and set a pair of records. Kirstie Russell placed 11th on platform and broke the freshman record in the process with a score of 130.20. On the men's side Tyler Dunsmore also broke the freshman record for platform with a score of 216.50.
In total, both teams had 45 individual scoring performances with more than 20 participants making the finals in their respective events making this one of the fastest C-USA Championship meets in school history.
