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News Release

UMBC Swimming and Diving's Reitz and Cantwell Earn America East Weekly Awards

11/20/2007

Freshman Brad Reitz earned his second straight conference weekly award after his performance at the Patriot Invite.

Junior Tina Cantwell was named the America East Women's Swimming Performer of the Week.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.—The UMBC men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams combined to earn both America East Swimming Performer of the Week awards for the week ending Nov. 19, the conference announced Tuesday.  Freshman Brad Reitz (Ellicott City, Md./Howard) and junior Tina Cantwell (Sinking Spring, Pa./The Hill School) garnered the awards after their outstanding performances at the George Mason Patriot Invitational.

Reitz picks up his second weekly award in as many weeks after he earned three individual victories, set a new Patriot Invitational meet record, and took part in two winning and two second-place relays last weekend.  Reitz swam a time of 49.70 in the 100 butterfly during the finals session on Saturday, breaking the previous meet record of 49.78 set by Alex Righi of Yale in 2005.  The time ranks Reitz fourth on the UMBC All-Time Top Ten.

In addition, Reitz claimed victories in the 200 individual medley, as he turned in a time of 1:52.23 on Friday, which is fifth on the Retrievers’ all-time list, and in the 200 butterfly with a time of 1:51.46, which also ranks fifth on the top ten list.  Reitz was also finished second in the 200 free with a time of 1:42.04 and was part of the winning 200 medley and 800 free relays and second-place 400 medley and 400 free relays.

Cantwell earns her first award for the season after earning an NCAA consideration qualifying time in the 200 breaststroke and taking three Patriot Invitational titles last weekend.  Cantwell swam a time of 2:18.20 to win the 200 breast on Sunday evening, just making the NCAA B-cut of 2:18.21.  With the win, Cantwell extended her unbeaten streak in the 200 breast to seven straight meets in the 2007-08 season and 15 meets overall.  The junior has not lost a 200 breaststroke race since placing second to Navy on Oct. 28, 2006.  In addition, Cantwell added victories in the 400 IM, with a time of 4:31.62 and the 100 breast with a time of 1:04.92, while also placing second in the 200 IM with a time of 2:08.40 and taking part in the winning 400 medley relay for the Retrievers.

Boston University’s Tess Waresmith and Andre Watson garnered the men’s and women’s Diving Performer of the Week awards.

The Retrievers have now combined for nine of the 20 weekly awards given out so far this season, with junior Justin Bronson (Oshawa, Ontario, Canada/Msgr. Paul Dwyer) and freshman Crystal Gall (Balgonie, Saskatchewan, Canada/Dr. Martin LeBoldus) accounting for two each, and freshmen Seth McNew (Lakewood, Colo./Lakewood) and Mike Morabito (Owego, N.Y./Owego Free Academy) each earning one award.