Purple Knights Shine In The Pool At TCNJ Invitational

Ewing Township, N.J.-It was a successful weekend for the University of Bridgeport men's and women's swimming teams as they took part in the Lions Invitational hosted by the College of New Jersey from Friday through Sunday, December 6-8, 2013.  The Purple Knights turned in a combined total of 30 times that are NCAA Division II National Championship "A" and "B" standards over the three-day event which saw UB take fourth out of six teams in the women's competition with 632 points, and the men take third place out of five teams with 848 points.

Three-time NCAA champions Oscar Pereiro (Arzua, Spain) shined in his specialty event, the 100-yard Backstroke, turning in the fastest time in Division II so far this year with an NCAA "A"  time of 47.79.  Oscar also took first place in the 50-yard Freestyle (20.49) and the 100-yard freestyle (44.97) and tuned in a time of 49.03 in the 100-yard Butterfly, all NCAA "B" cuts.

Junior Adeline Martin (Antibes, France) turned in four school record swims and five NCAA "B" standard times over the weekend, as she grabbed three individual first places.  Martin set school records in winning the 400-yard IM (4:21.99, fastest time in Division II so far this year), the 200-yard IM (2:02.69) and the 200-yard Breaststroke (2:16.88).  She also set a UB record in the 200-yard Freestyle with a time of 1:50.61 on the lead leg of the 800-yard Free Relay, plus Adeline had an NCAA "B" cut of 52.49 in the 100-yard Freestyle which also came on a lead-off relay leg.

Also on the women's side, sophomore Elena Shchekleina (Yekaterinburg, Russia) had NCAA "B" cuts in the 100-yard Butterfly (56/41) and the 500-yard Freestyle (23.98), plus three relay teams the 800-yard Freestyle (7:40.66), the 200-yard Medley (1:46.15) plus the 200-yard Medley (3:53.04) reached NCAA "B" standards in the Garden State.

Back on the men's side of the deck, senior Ruben Gimenez (Burgos, Spain) had NCAA "B" cuts in the 50-yard Freestyle (20.50), the 100-yard Freestyle (45.19) plus the 100-yard Breaststroke (55.29).

Junior Ivan Sangines (Barcelona, Spain) also had three NCAA "B" cut swims, as he won the 500-yard Freestyle (4:29.41), and turned in times of 15:51.60 in the 1650-yard Freestyle and 1:40.81 in the 200-yard Freestyle.

Senior Vyacheslav Fattakhov (Almatt, Kazakhstan) added a pair of NCAA "B" standard time in winning the 200-yard Breaststroke (2:01.81) and taking second in the 100-yard Breaststroke (56.04).

Sophomore Didac Matsuyama (Barcelona, Spain) had NCAA "B" cut swims in the 200-yard Freestyle (1:40.47) and the 100-yard Freestyle (50.43), plus Matsuyama won the 200-yard Butterfly (1:52.87).

Sophomore Alberto Alemany (Barcelona, Spain) won the 1650-yard Freestyle in a time of 15:5.60 (NCAA "B" Cut).

Five UB men's relay teams hit NCAA "B" standards.  Those teams are the 200-yard Freestyle (1:22.18), the 400-yard Freestyle (3:01.91), the 800-yard Freestyle (6:64.61), the 200-yard Medley (1:29.12) and the 400-yard Medley (3:19.65).

Both Bridgeport swim team will now take a break for exams and the holidays.  The Purple Knights will return to meet action at Pace University on January 18, 2014.