Seven Purple Knights Set To Head To 2016 NCAA Division II Swimming & Diving National Championship Meet

Bridgeport, Conn.-Seven members (six women and one male) of the University of Bridgeport swimming programs, under the direction of second-year head coach Sean Raffile, have qualified to compete at the 2016 NCAA Division II National Swimming & Diving Championship Meet that will take place in Indianapolis, Indiana at the Indiana University Natatorium from March 9 through March 12.

Heading to the Hoosier Sate from the Purple Knights women's team will be sophomore Annagrazia Bonsanti (Caracas, Venezuela), juniors Yekaterina Gakhokidze (Almaty, Kazakhstan) and Tatiana Shepel (Moscow, Russia), freshman Nina Stegu (Ljublijana, Slovenia), senior Jaimy Lee Taskin (Noordwijkerhout, Holland) and graduate student Alja Tavcar (Ljublijana, Slovenia).

Long-distance specialist Bonsanti is slated to swim in the 500 and 1650 freestyle events.

Gakhokidze has qualified for the NCAA Championship meet in five events, the 200 Medley Relay, the 200 Free Relay, the 100 Backstroke, the 100 Freestyle plus the 400 Free Relay.

Shepel is slated to swim in the 50 Freestyle plus is a member of the three relay teams that the National Championship Meet, the 200 Medley plus 200 and 400 Freestyles.

Stegu is also part of the 200 Medley and 200 and 400 Freestyle Relay teams, and Taskin qualified for nationals as a member of UB's 200 Medley Relay group.

Tavcar will participate at Nationals on the 200 and 400 Freestyle Relay teams.

Senior Ivan Capan (Zagreb, Croatia) will be the lone member of the UB men's team traveling to the 2016 National Championship meet, as he will compete in the 200 Individual Medley event.

Fans can follow all the action of the 2016 NCAA Division II National Swimming & Diving Championship Meet at either www.ubknights.com or www.ncaa.com.