Swimming and Diving Starts Strong at ECAC Winter Championships
Purple Knights total 10 top-10 finishes during Friday's night session.
EAST MEADOW, N.Y. – Friday marked the start of the three-day ECAC Winter Championships for the University of Bridgeport's men's and women's swimming and diving teams at the Nassau County Aquatic Center on Long Island. UB is facing a deep field that includes several DI programs in a championship-style format designed to prepare the Purple Knights for the NE10 Championships in February.
MEN'S DAY ONE RECAP
The Purple Knights turned in a strong first day in the pool highlighted by several top-10 finishes across multiple events.
Freshman Sultanbek Azat led the way with a runner-up performance in the 500-free at 4:25.78, while teammates Ryan Wall (4:34.17), Pacome Sidelski (4:35.11) and Henry Klode (4:37.21) followed with fifth-, sixth-, and ninth-place finishes, respectively.
In the 200-IM, Maximiliano Pedrozo Sevila placed eighth in the A Final, and UB added depth with Ignacy Olownia taking ninth (1:53.53) and Darcy Higgins finishing 10th (1:54.09).
The sprint group added two more solid results, as Camilo Villalba Vera grabbed 11th (20.81) in the 50-free and Jurica Dragun touched 13th (20.88).
On the boards, Juan David Urrea Vargas earned a fifth-place finish in the three-meter dive with a score of 195.20.
The night concluded with a standout relay as Azat, Christian Toussi, Dragun, and Pedrozo Sevila combined for third place in the 400-medley relay, clocking in at 3:17.02.
WOMEN'S DAY ONE RECAP
The Purple Knight women also collected several solid performances throughout the afternoon and night sessions.
The 200-free relay of Ceyda Genç, Hazel Clark, Ania Mrozik, and Luca Olsen opened the evening with a ninth-place finish in 1:38.49, and Olsen later added an 11th-place showing in the 500 free at 5:15.43.
Cristal Margarita Gómez Rodriguez turned in a 20th-place swim (2:14.56) in the 200-IM, while Genç placed 19th (24.69) in the 50-free.
UB closed the night with another top-15 relay result, as Clark, Gómez Rodriguez, Genç, and Olsen combined for 11th in the 400-medley relay with a time of 3:59.98.
UP NEXT
The Purple Knights will continue the ECAC Winter Championships with Day Two on Saturday.