Swim Teams Off To A Fast Start At 2011 Metropolitan Conference Championships

Piscataway, N.J.-It was a strong opening night for the University of Bridgeport men's and women's swimming teams at the 2011 Metropolitan Conference Championships taking place in Piscataway, N.J. on the campus of Rutgers University, as the UB men ended the first of three days of competition in third place out of 18 teams with 292 points, and the Purple Knights women were in fifth place out of 19 teams with 267 points.  On the men's side, The College of New Jersey is in first place with 489 points followed by the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy with 334 points.  TCNJ also leads on the women's side with 494.5 points followed by C.W. Post in second with 322.5 points, Southern Connecticut State University in third with 280.5 points and Rowan in fourth with 277 points.

For the UB men, the Purple Knights won two relay and two individual events on Friday night.The men's 200-yard Free Relay team of Toni Valcic, Oscar Pereiro, Nik Savic and Piotr Safronczyk took first place with a time of 1:20.75 which is the fastest time so far this season in Division II.  It is also a team, conference and pool record time in the event.

The men's 400-yard Medley Relay team of Pereiro, Safronczyk, Eddie Phillips and Valcic took first place in that event with a UB record and NCAA "B" cut time of 3:22.81.

In individual men's events, freshman Florian Mehlan won the 500-yard Free in a school record and NCAA "B" cut time of 4:35.07.

In the men's 50-yard Free, Toni Valcic won the event in a UB record and NCAA "B" cut time of 20.36. Oscar Pereiro was third in the 50 Free with a time of 20.74, and Nik Savic was fourth on a time of 20.96.  Both Oscar and Nik's times in the 50 Free are NCAA "B" cuts.

On the women's side, freshman Sonia Arau won the 200-yard IM in a school record and NCAA "B" cut time of 2:04.53.  Sophomore Anna Krasnowska took sixth in the event with a time of 2:11.32 in the finals after turning in a time of 2:10.55 in the prelims (NCAA "B" cut).

Other Bridgeport women's individual event highlights from Friday night were junior Maris Visse taking third in the 500-yard Free in an NCAA "B" cut time of 5:06.00, and senior Roxy Purcelea taking ninth in the 50-yard free in an NCAA "B" cut time of 24.44.

In women's relay events, the 200-yard Free team of Roxy Purcelea, Sandra Schmitz,
Anna Krasnowska and Ilka Oberle took third with a time of 1:37.82, and the 400 Medley team of Sonia Arau, Ilka Oberle, Maris Visse and Sandra Schmitz were second with an NCAA "B" cut time of 3:54.88.