UMBC

Justin Bronson is one of 13 Retrievers competing at the ECAC Championships this weekend.

Pittsburgh, Pa.-Less than a week after returning home from the America East Championships at Boston University, where the women placed second and the men won their third straight league title, 13 UMBC swimmers and divers are back in the pool this weekend competing at the 2006 ECAC Championships at Pittsburgh’s Trees Pool. The meet began Thursday evening with the prelims of the women’s 3-meter diving and will conclude Sunday evening.

The Retrievers competing this weekend include sophomore Scott Auchter in the 100 and 200 breast; freshman Justin Bronson in the 100 free and 100 fly; freshman Tina Cantwell in the 100 and 200 breast; senior Ian Carey in the 100 and 200 breast; sophomore Andrew Cheung in the 100 and 200 breast and 400 IM; freshman Milos Djukic in the 100 and 200 back; junior Ashley Houghton in the 1-meter and 3-meter diving competition; junior Juan Ortiz in the 100 and 200 free; freshman Evan Roseberry in the 200 free, 200 fly and 200 IM; junior Jeff Salgado in the 1-meter and 3-meter diving competition; sophomore Joey Sementelli in the 500 free, 200 fly and 400 IM; freshman Daniele Surkovich in the 200 free and 200 fly; and junior Pat Woodward in the 100 and 200 breast.

While this will be the last meet of the year for the swimmers, both Houghton and Salgado have qualified for the NCAA Zone Regional diving competition at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., March 10-12.

Houghton is seeded first in the women’s 3-meter diving after winning the preliminaries Thursday night with a score of 252.8.

Follow the meet as it happens with Real Time Results.   

America East Championship Wrap Up

The Retriever men continued their domination of the America East, winning their third straight conference title in as many years. Since UMBC joined the league in 2003-04, there has been no other America East champion. Junior Ryan Karrer won the 1,650 free, breaking head coach Chad Cradock’s school record, which had stood since 1996. He also set a new meet record in the event. Senior Geza Szabo broke his own school record in the 200 fly, which he originally set in December 2002. Bronson won the 500 free, followed by six of his teammates for a sweep of the top seven spots. Bronson broke the meet record in the event. The 800 free relay also won a conference title. The team won by more than 200 points overall.

The women placed second at the meet, just 57 points behind New Hampshire. Sophomore Meghan Sackett won three events and set a new meet record in the 500 and 1,650 free, while Surkovich won the 50 free and was named Most Outstanding Rookie. Houghton was named Most Outstanding Diver after winning the 1-meter competition and breaking her own school record on the 3-meter board. The Retriever women also took gold in two relays, both of which set new school records.