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Above: Amanda Rivers

Individual Breakdown.pdf

NEISDA Web Site

WHITE RIVER JCT., Vt. - Sophomores Amanda Rivers (Meriden) and Erin McVeigh (Windsor) combined to earn All-New England honors a total of 11 times to power the Eastern Connecticut State University women's swim team to a fourth-place finish at the three-day Division II-III New England Intercollegiate Swimming and Diving (NEISDA) Championships, which concluded Sunday night at the Upper Valley Aquatic Center.

Rivers earned All-New England honors six times for the second straight year and McVeigh earned five after earning four as a freshman as the Warriors posted their second-highest team finish (they were third two years ago) in 16 years in this competition. Twenty-two teams competed this year, 19  of them as Division III institutions and three from Division II.

Division II Bentley captured the team title with 1,552.5 points, with Division III Keene State College (1,358) second, Division II Assumption College (1,061.5) third and Eastern (773.5) fourth. Keene and Eastern finished 1-2 in the Little East Conference Championships in December.  Other Little East teams competing in the event were University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (9th/461 points), Western Connecticut State University (13th/339) and Plymouth State University (15th/237.5).

The top eight individuals in each event and first four relays are recognized as All-New England.

Rivers was named All-New England in three individual events and three relays while McVeigh was All-New England in two individual events and three relays. Rivers' highest individual finish was second in the 50 freestyle (24.55) and McVeigh's best individual effort was sixth in the 200 freestyle.

Three individual and one relay program records were broken.

Rivers broke the 100 freestyle relay record that she set this year a total of three times this weekend, the final time coming in a time of 53.66 as the leadoff for the final event of the weekend - the 400 freestyle relay.

Sophomore Michelle Schapp (Torrington) - named All-New England in one individual event and with three relays - broke her backstroke record twice, the second time coming in an eighth-place finish in the final of the 50 backstroke (28.92) on Sunday.

At left: Nadine Menard

Senior Nadine Menard (Woodstock) swam to All-New England honors in three individual events and broke former teammate Amy Arisco's year-old record by more than two seconds with a mark of 2:15.07 in a seventh-place finish in the final of the 200 butterfly. Menard concluded her career with All-New England recognition a total of nine times in three years.

The fourth record was established Friday by the 400 medley relay when it placed fifth. The relay of Schapp, freshman Rachael Thatcher (Newington), Menard and Rivers was timed in a record of 4:08.39 in the preliminaries.

 A total of nine different individuals combined for All-New England honors a total of 26 times. Others gaining All-New England recognition were sophomores Marissa Colley (East Haven), Colleen King (Barkamsted) and Becky Odgers (Shelton) and freshmen Kayla Smoragiewicz (Norwalk) and Thatcher. Colley and Odgers each earned the honor twice with the relays while King repeated All-New England honors in the 50 butterfly and added a second award with a relay. Thatcher and Smoragiewicz each helped a relay to regional honors.

 Schapp swam to All-New England honors in five events last year and Odgers in one.

A total of 513.5 of the team's points came in individual events and another 260 came in five relays. Fifteen of the 17 individuals that qualified from Eastern contributed at least one point. Rivers totaled a team-high 81 points, plus swam on four relays; Menard had 69 points plus swam on one relay; McVeigh 55 points plus three relays and Schapp 47 points plus four relays.

In the meet, Menard, Jennifer Dufraine (Somers) and Andzelina Chmielewski (Enfield) all closed out four-year careers, as did Samantha Armitage (Bristol) and Tara McCane (Torrington), who did not compete this weekend. Chmielewski chipped in 15 points to Eastern's total with a 13th-place finish in the 50 backstroke and a 24th-place finish in the 100 backstroke, and Dufraine added 12 points with an 18th-place finish in the 400 individual medley and 20th-place showing in the 200 butterfly. 

Eastern set a program record this season for regular-season winning percentage (.889) with an 8-1mark in dual meets. The Warriors have finished seventh or better in the New England meet each of the last five years and among the top ten nine times in the last 12 seasons.

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Warriors hope to maintain recent success at NE Championships

WATCh: Senior Jennifer Dufraine (at left) previews this weekend's New England Championships (6:35)

WILLIMANTIC, Conn. --  The Eastern Connecticut State University women's swim team's 'third season" culminates this weekend at the 33rd Annual New England Intercollegiate Swimming and Diving Association (NEISDA) Division  II-III Championships at the Upper Valley Aquatic Center in White River Junction, Vt.

Above: This year's All-Little East Conference selections will lead the Warriors into this weekend's New England Championships.

Eastern's 'first season' began October 1 with pool workouts six days a week and weight lifting sessions three days a week and concluded with the final meet of the first semester in mid-December.

The 'second season' got underway with two-hour double session pool workouts and land conditioning,  Jan. 4-12 at Ft. Lauderdale, FL, and progressed with two-a-day workouts back in Willimantic through the first two weeks of classes through the remainder of the month.

The current 'third season" kicked off at the conclusion of the regular season two weeks ago in a home win over Rhode Island College as the team's New England qualifiers 'taper' their workouts in preparation for this weekend's three-day New England championship meet which opens Friday morning and concludes Sunday evening.

Competition starts at 10 a.m. each morning with preliminary events. Those qualifying for the finals return to the evening session which begins at 5:30 p.m.

This year, 17  of the team's members -- over 70 percent of the roster - qualified for this weekend's meet during a regular season which included nine dual meets (which produed an 8-1 record), two invitationals and the Little East Conference Championships.

In the last 11 years, three Eastern swimmers have combined to win 14 individual championships at the meet, 113 have earned All-New England honors, and two have been named recipients of the Kay Fromer Award which is presented to a senior at the meet who has accumulated the most points in their career at the championship.

Between 20 and 25 teams annually compete in the NEISDA meet. As a team, Eastern has finished among the Top 10 the last four years and eight times in the last ten seasons.

With an outstanding freshman class last year, the Warriors followed up a program-best third-place finish of two years ago by finishing fifth. Last year, seven swimmers combined to earn All-New England honors a total of 25 players. Five of those swimmers were freshman, and all returned  this season and make more than 25 percent of this year's New England qualifiers.
As sophomores, Michelle  Schapp (Torrington), Amanda Rivers (Meriden), Erin McVeigh (Windsor), Becky Odgers (Shelton), Colleen King (Barkhamsted)  and Marissa Colley (East Haven) should accumulate the majority of the team's points, along with senior tri-captain Nadine Menard (Woodstock) and freshmen Rachael Thatcher  (Newington) and Kayla Smoragiewicz (Norwalk).

In individual and events and relays, Rivers swam to All-New England honors in six events last year, Schapp in five, McVeigh in four, Menard in two, and King and Odgers in one each.
Menard is the team's best to finish in the money in the individual medley, butterfly and/or breaststroke, Schapp and Smoragiewicz in the backstroke, Rivers in the sprint freestyle and/or backstroke, McVeigh in the distance freestyle,  Odgers in the distance  freestyle and/or backstroke, Colley in the freestyle, King in the breaststroke and butterfly,  and Thatcher in the breaststroke.

In addition to Menard, senior tri-captains Andzelina Chmielewski (Enfield) and Jennifer Dufraine (Somers) will be closing out four-year careers this weekend. Additional qualifiers include junior Jen O'Leary (West Suffield) and Julie Pietrycha (Newington), sophomores Vic San Pietro (Stratford) and Jacqueline Tromp (Bohemia, NY) and freshmen Abby Arisco (Wallingford) and  Shannon Coleman (Plantsville).

Traditionally, a host of individual and relay records fall in this meet, and this season should be no exception. Last year, Schapp set three individual records in the backstroke, 2011 graduate Amy Arisco broke four in the individual medley and butterfly, and Rivers one in the freestyle. In addition, the  relays re-wrote the recordbook in four events.
 

Freshman is Warriors' first rookie honored this season by conference

NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass. - Rachael Thatcher (Newington) has become the first Eastern Connecticut State University freshman women's swimmer honored as the Rookie-of-the-Week by the Little East Conference this season, for the week ending Feb. 5.

In a pair of dual meet wins last week, Thatcher won three times and was second once. Against Western New England University Wednesday, she won the 50 yard breaststroke in a personal-best time of 34.37 and was second to teammate Michelle Schapp (Torrington) in the 500 in a time of 5:52.55. Three days later in the final regular-season dual meet of the year at home against Rhode Island College, she  established personal records in winning the 100 breaststroke (1:13.67) and 50 breaststroke (34.08).

In addition to competing in four individual events, Thatcher swam a leg on three winning relays, twice with the 200 freestyle relay and once with the 200 medley relay.

This year, Thatcher has won the 100 breaststroke four times and her winning time of 1:13.67 Saturday represented the fastest time by an Eastern swimmer in that event this year.

Thatcher becomes the program's third weekly honoree this year, following  senior Nadine Menard (Woodstock)  October 30 and sophomore Erin McVeigh (Windsor)  two weeks ago.  Last year, the program featured three weekly Rookie-of-the-Week honorees: Amanda Rivers (Meriden) twice and Schapp once.

With a final 8-1 record this year, Eastern set a dual meet record for winning percentage of 88.9. The Warriors compete in the NEISDA Division II-III Championships  February  17-19 at the Upper Valley Aquatic Center in White River Junction, VT.

         They  prepare for NE meet by disposing of RIC on Seniors' Day

WILLIMANTIC,Conn. - The Eastern Connecticut State University women's swim team tuned up for the upcoming New England Championships with a 118-92 victory over Rhode Island College on Seniors' Day Saturday morning at the Sports Center pool.

With its fifth straight win in the final dual meet of the season, Eastern (8-1) established a season winning percentage of .889 in dual meet competition and concluded the season without a loss in five home dual meets.

For the second straight meet, the Warriors swept all 14 events, winning 12 individual competitions and both relays. Eastern swam the final six  events on an exhibition basis against Rhode Island (0-3), a first-year program.

Five individuals won two events each: senior Nadine Menard (Woodstock) the 100 yard butterfly and 100 individual medley, and also swam the third leg of the 200 medley relay. sophomore Erin McVeigh (Windsor) claimed the 200 and 500 freestyle and also swam the final leg of the 200 freestyle relay; sophomore Amanda Rivers (Meriden), the 50 backstroke and 100 freestyle, freshman Kayla Smoragiewicz (Norwalk) the 50 freestyle and 100 backstroke and freshman Rachael Thatcher (Newington) the 50 and 100 breaststroke. Rivers, Smoragiewicz and Thatcher also swam a leg of both relays. 

Among those finishing first or second in individual events, Rivers established a personal record in the 50 backstroke (29.80), Smoragiewicz in the 50 freestyle (27.29), sophomore Marissa Colley (East Haven) in the 200 freestyle (2:04.43), and Thatcher in the 50 breaststroke (34.08) and 100 breaststroke (1:13.67).

Eastern's five seniors - all of them four-year members of the program -- and their parents were honored prior to the start of the meet: Menard, Samantha Armitage (Bristol), Andzelina Chmielewski (Enfield), Jennifer Dufraine (Somers), and Tara McCane (Torrington).

Eastern competes in the NEISDA Division II-III Championships Feb. 17-19 at the Upper Valley Aquatic Center in White River Junction, VT.

Behind Menard and Colley, Warriors capture all 14 events

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Senior Nadine Menard (Woodstock) and sophomore Marissa Colley (East Haven) each won three events as the Eastern Connecticut State University women's swim team swept all 14 events in a 145-106 victory over Western New England University Wednesday night at the Alumni Healthful Living Center.

In defeating Western New England (2-8) for the eighth straight time, Eastern (7-1)
won all 12 individual events and both relays in its final dual meet away from home this year. Eastern swam the final four events on an exhibition basis.

Eastern swimmers claimed the top three spots in four individual events and went 1-2 in four additional individual events and both relays.

Menard won the 100 and 400 yard individual medley and the 200 breaststroke and Colley captured the 50 and 200 backstroke and 50 freestyle. Sophomore Erin McVeigh (Windsor) won the 100 freestyle and 100 butterfly and swam the last leg of the 200 medley and 200 freestyle relays. In addition to her three individual firsts, Colley swam the third leg of the 200 freestyle relay.

Sophomore Michelle Schapp (Torrington) also contributed two first-place efforts in the 200 and 500 freestyle.

Eastern hosts Rhode Island College Saturday at 11 a.m. in the final regular-season dual meet prior to the NEISDA Division II-III Championships.

 They win 11 of 14 events; Rivers sets program record in 100 freestyle

BRISTOL, R.I. -- Eastern Connecticut State University sophomore Amanda Rivers (Meriden) broke the program's two-year old women's swimming record in the 100 yard freestyle in Saturday's 157-134 victory over Roger Williams University.

At right: Amanda Rivers

Rivers won the 50 and 100 freestyle and swam the fourth leg of the winning 200 medley relay and lead leg of the winning 200 freestyle relay as Eastern improved to 6-1 in dual meets this season. Rivers' record-setting time in the 100 freestyle was 54.63, bettering the two-year-old record of 54.70. Rivers won the event by over two seconds and captured the 50 freestyle by nearly two seconds in a time of 24.95 - a half-second slower than her program record.

Rivers won both the 100 freestyle and the 50 freestyle for the sixth time this season, and in both events, was also second against Keene State and third in the Little East Conference Championships in her other attempts.

Senior Nadine Menard (Woodstock) captured three events for the Warriors, who won nine of 12 individual events and both relays. Menard won the 100 and 200 butterfly and 200 individual medley, and sophomore Erin McVeigh (Windsor) captured the 500 and 1,000 freestyle and sophomore Michelle Schapp (Torrington) the 100 and 200 backstroke. Sophomore Jacqueline Tromp (Bohemia, NY) was second to Scahpp in the 100 and 200 backstroke.

In addition to winning individual events, Schapp swam the opening leg of the victorious 200 medley relay and McVeigh swam the final 50 yards of the winning 200 freestyle relay which wrapped up the meet.

Rivers becomes the first record-breaker of the season. Last year as a freshman, Rivers set a new record in the 50 freestyle and Schapp took over possession of all three backstroke marks. Both were also members of four record-breaking relays.

Twenty-nine of Roger Williams' points came in two diving events (Eastern does not sponsor diving).

Eastern visits Western New England University Wednesday at 6 p.m.
 

McVeigh (swimming) and Nedwick (men's basketball) honored  by LEC

Nedwick (far left), McVeigh

NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass. --  Eastern Connecticut State University sophomore swimmer Erin McVeigh (Windsor) and senior men's basketball player Nick Nedwick (Irvington, NY) have been honored by the Little East Conference in its eighth weekly awards program for the week ending Jan. 22.

McVeigh was named Swimmer-of-the-Week after helping the Warriors to a pair of home dual meet victories last week, while Nedwick was named Player-of-the-Week after leading the Warriors to two conference wins. McVeigh was named for the first time and became the program's second Swimmer-of-the-Week this year; Nedwick was recognized as Player-of-the-Week for the first time in his standout four-year career. As a sophomore, he was selected to the LEC honor roll (which is no longer selected) on Jan. 25, 2010.  Nedwick becomes the team's first individual honoree this season.

McVeigh, who spent her freshman semester at the Division I level, won four individual races this past week. She captured the 100 (56.83) and 200 yard freestyle (2:07.26) races against Saint Joseph College (CT). On Saturday, she won the 500 (5:38.18) and 1000 yard freestyle (11:34.71) against UMass Dartmouth.  This year, McVeigh holds the fastest time on the team in the 500 freestyle, second-fastest time in the 100 and 200 freestyle and third-fastest time in the 50 freestyle and 1000 freestyle. In the conference championships in early December, she placed fifth in the 200 and 500 freestyle and seventh in the 100 freestyle.

Eastern (5-1) visits Roger Williams University Saturday at 1 p.m.

Nedwick averaged 22.5 points and six rebounds per game to help lead No. 25 Eastern  (14-1) to its 2-0 week. The  6-foot-1 inch shooting guard  shot 46.7 percent (14-for-30) from the field to reach double digits in scoring in each contest. On Jan. 17, Nedwick scored 20 points and pulled in seven rebounds to lift the Warriors past Western Connecticut. Four days later, he poured in 25 points, including 10 points during a 19-2 second half run, to help Eastern  earn a come-from-behind victory at Southern Maine.

Against the Huskies, Nedwick  became the sixth player in program history with at least 1,400 career points. This year, Nedwick has reached double figures in scoring in all 15 games. He leads Eastern with a 16.3 scoring average and also averages 4.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.0 steals and is second with 16 three-pointers.

A winner of 13 straight and with a conference-leading 7-0 record, Eastern hosts Keene State College Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.

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Four are double winners for Warriors in 148-106 victory over Corsairs

WILLIMANTIC, Conn. - Sophomore Amanda Rivers (Meriden) won the 50 and 100 freestyle events in the same meet for the third time this year and sophomore Erin McVeigh (Windsor) captured the 500 and 1000 freestyle to lift the Eastern Connecticut State University women's swim team to a 148-106 victory over the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Saturday afternoon at the Sports Center pool.

Above: Rachael Thatcher

Eastern (5-1) won 13 of 14 events, with seven different swimmers winning at least once as the Warriors improved to 4-0 in home dual meets this season. UMass (2-5) lost for the sixth straight time to Eastern in dual competition after winning the first five in this series.

Rivers has won the 50 and 100 freestyle ten times this season, placed second twice in dual meets and finished third in both events in the Little East Conference Championships in December. McVeigh has won the 500 freestyle four times to go along with a fifth-place finish in the Little East meet. She was swimming the 1000 for the first time.

Senior Nadine Menard (Woodstock) and sophomore Michelle Schapp (Torrington) were also double winners, Menard in the 100 butterfly and on an exhibition basis in the 100 individual medley and Schapp in the 50 and 100 backstroke. Schapp captured the 50 for the third time in as many outings this year.

Other individual winners were freshman Rachael Thatcher (Newington) in the 100 breaststroke and sophomore Colleen King (Barkhamsted) on an exhibition basis in the 50 butterfly. Thatcher won the 100 breaststroke for the second straight time and third in four tries. She has lowerd her time every time out this year.

Menard clocked a personal best time of 1:07.62 in the 100 individual medley and Rivers swam her fastest time of the year (25.29) in the 50 freestyle.

Eastern swimming garnered at least the top two spots in seven of 12 individual events, going 1-2-3 in the 50 and 100 backstroke.  Freshman Kayla Smoragiewicz (Norwalk) was second to Schapp in both backstroke events.  Sophomore Jacqueline Tromp (Bohemia, NY) was third in the 50 backstroke and sophomore Marissa Colley (East Haven) third in the 100 backstroke.

Junior Morgan Cooper (Sunderland, MA) registered UMass's win in the 50 breaststroke and was second in the 100 freestyle. Senior Kim Moore (Billerica, MA) was second in the 1000 freestyle and junior Lindsay Days second in the 100 breaststroke.

Eastern visits Roger williams University Saturday at 1 p.m.

WILLIMANTIC, Conn. -- The Eastern Connecticut State University women's swim team will host the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Saturday at 1 p.m. in a dual meet which will be broadcast live on LittleEast.tv. from the Sports Center pool.

Eastern (4-1) is coming off Wednesday's  134-96 win over Saint Joseph College (CT) in its first home dual meet in over a month. UMass (2-4) dropped a 128-97 decision at Simmons College Tuesday.

Against Saint Joseph, Eastern won all 13 events, with senior Nadine Menard (Woodstock) winning three events and sophomores Michelle Schapp (Torrington) and Erin McVeigh (Windsor) two each.

Since losing the first five dual meets against UMass, the Warriors have bounced back to win the last five, including last year's 165-120 triumph at the Tripp Athletic Center pool.

Eastern closes out its home season Feb. 4 against Rhode Island College at 11 a.m. before competing in the NEISDA Division II-III Championships Feb. 17-19.