UMBC

The 2004 season marked yet another successful year for the UMBC men’s and women’s Swimming and Diving teams. Finishing with a school-best 12-1 record on both sides, the Retriever squads made their first year in the America East a memorable one, with the men taking the league title, while the women finished second to conference rival Northeastern.

“We went in pretty strong, believing we could win,” said Head Coach Chad Cradock. “Our women came up a little short, but they competed really well and did a terrific job all the way to the last day to hold on to second place, which was truly a feat.”

Cradock attributes most of his teams’ success to the athletes, parents, and fans. “The support [at the America East Championships] helped make the atmosphere totally different than any competition we’ve ever been to,” he said. “It was far more exciting, far more fun, and it led to a lot of success for us.”

The result was a dominant performance by the Retriever men, as they captured UMBC’s first ever America East Crown in any sport, amassing a total of a league-record 901 points in three days. The closest competitor was Binghamton, who came in second with 574 points. Senior co-captain Brad Green received Swimmer of the Meet honors, as he broke the 12-year old school record in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 44.82, en route to receiving five gold and two silver medals in the championships. A week later, Green received the same honor at the ECAC’s, as he claimed the top spot in both the 50-yard and 100-yard freestyle events.

On the women’s side, everyone contributed a tremendous effort, as the Retrievers broke three school records – Astrid Sperling in the 100 backstroke, Agnes Stanislawska in the 200 freestyle, and the 400 medley relay team of Sperling, Lindsey Prather, Holly Wittsack, and Stanislawska. In addition, Stanislawska received Swimmer of the Meet honors in just her first year as a UMBC competitor.

“The keys to being successful in our program are belief in what you’re doing, belief in yourself, trusting yourself, and focus, dedication, and discipline,” said Cradock. “If you put it all together and never question yourself and you’re always positive, you will be a successful student athlete at UMBC.”