Mens Swimming and Diving Win Championship for Sixth Consecutive Season
The UMBC men’s swimming and diving team has won the America East Championship for the sixth consecutive season and 12th overall conference title. The Retrievers finished with 900 points, beating Boston University by 27 points. The women finished in second place behind Boston with 687 points.
Coach Chad Craddock ’97, psychology, said, “I am so proud of our men and women. They really came together and showed how they are a true championship team. When the meet looked grim for UMBC, they found a way to come from behind to win (for the men) and take a strong second (for the women).
“This team truly deserved the positive outcome as they are hard working and dedicated individuals who accepted every challenge we have given them,” added Craddock, who was a four-year letter-winner for the Retriever swimming and diving program.
This year’s championship highlights included a gold medal for sophomore Brad Reitz, who broke the school record in the 200 fly. On the women’s side, junior Jennifer Esposito broke the school record she set in the 200 fly during the preliminary session, finishing first. More results are available online.
Both the men’s and women’s teams are also known for their academic success. Athletics Director Charles Brown said, “The swimming and diving team at UMBC sets the bar for all our athletic programs. Their excellence in both the swimming pool and in the classroom is outstanding.”
The NCAA’s most recent Academic Progress Report ranked UMBC’s women’s swim team in the top 10 percent of colleges and universities nationally. Last season, for the second straight year, 11 men and women were selected to the America East Swimming and Diving All-Academic teams, and women’s swimming and diving were the only America East team to win an America East championship and post the highest GPA among the conference’s teams. For the fall 2008 semester at UMBC, the men’s and women’ teams GPAs were among the best of all Retriever athletics teams.
Read more about UMBC Athletics at www.umbcretrievers.com.
(2/27/09)
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