Swimming Travels to New York for BIG EAST Championships

Wednesday, February 22

Nassau, N.Y.

All Day

Xavier University

BIG EAST Championships

Swimming Travels to New York for BIG EAST Championships

02.21.17 | Swimming

Championship Central Psych Sheets All-Session Tickets Single Session Tickets Live Results Live Stream

Championships held Feb. 22-25 in East Meadow, N.Y.

By: Hayley Schletker, Xavier Athletic Communications

EAST MEADOW, N.Y. - Xavier men's and women's swimming traveled to Long Island to compete in the 2017 BIG EAST Championship, presented by Jeep. The men look to win a fourth straight championship and the women return a strong core group from last year's third place team. The meet, held at the Nassau County Aquatic Center, will be live streamed on BIG EAST Digital Network through Fox Sports Go.

MEET INFORMATION

2017 BIG EAST Swimming & Diving Championships
(Presented by Jeep)
February 22-25
Nassau County Aquatic Center
East Meadow, N.Y.
Championship Info | Live Stats | Live Stream

All Session Tickets | Single Session Tickets

MEET SCHEDULE

PRELIMS: 10 A.M.
FINALS: 6 P.M.
PSYCH SHEETS

Wednesday
800 Yard Freestyle Relay
3 Meter Diving (Men)
200 Yard Medley Relay*

Thursday
500 Yard Freestyle
200 Individual Medley
50 Yard Freestyle
1 Meter Diving (Women)
200 Yard Freestyle Relay*

Friday
400 Individual Medley
100 Yard Butterfly
200 Yard Freestyle
100 Yard Breaststroke
100 Yard Backstroke
1 Meter Diving Men
400 Yard Medley Relay*

Saturday
5:35 p.m. Senior Recognition Ceremonies
1,650 Yard Freestyle
200 Yard Backstroke
100 Yard Freestyle
200 Yard Breaststroke
200 Yard Butterfly
3 Meter Diving (Women)
400 Yard Freestyle Relay

THE OPPONENTS

BUTLER BULLDOGS (Women)
Indianapolis, Ind.

Xavier has faced off with the Bulldogs on three occasions this season, traveling to Indianapolis for the Butler Double Dual to open the season and the Butler Invite in January. Xavier also faced BU at West Virginia. The Musketeers edged Butler in each of those three meets.

Two-time team MVP Audrey Gosnell leads the Bulldogs, excelling in freestyle sprints and the butterfly.

GEORGETOWN HOYAS
Washington, D.C.

The GU women have picked up wins over Delaware, Davidson and Pepperdine, as well as BIG EAST opponents Seton Hall and Providence this season. Molly Fitzpatrick comes into the championship with the top times in the conference in the 100 breast and 200 breast this season.

The Georgetown men come into the championship off a 133-96 win over Providence. The Hoya men and women have both placed second at the past three BIG EAST Championships.

PROVIDENCE FRIARS
Providence, R.I.

On the women's side Katie Fallon holds the top times for the squad in three freestyle events (100, 200 and 500) while Grace Carey holds the time in the 1000 free and mile. Three others hold the top times this season for the Championship events for the Friars: Helen Smith (100, 200 back, 200, 400 IM), Katherine Ainley (100, 200 breast) and Pagie Delago (100, 200 fly). PC has faced off with Seton Hall and Georgetown this season, falling to both.

Ryan Trammell posted a team-best time in the 100 and 200 breaststroke as well as the 100 fly. The Friars have faced three BIG EAST squads this season, falling to Seton Hall, Villanova and Georgetown.

Both squads finished fifth at last season's BIG EAST Championship.

SETON HALL PIRATES
South Orange, N.J.

The SHU women finished fourth at last season's BIG EAST Championship. This season they've gone 2-3 against conference competition, topping Providence and Butler and falling to Xavier Georgetown and Villanova throughout the season.

On the men's side, the Pirates finished last season's BIG EAST Championship place in third place, capturing the Most Outstanding Swimmer and Coach of the Year honors in the process. Seton Hall's men have picked up wins over all four BIG EAST opponents this season, including Xavier in October, and currently hold the top time set among BIG EAST competitors this season: Dakota Williams (100 free), Noah Yanchulis (200 Free, 500 free), Lior Grubert (mile, 200 IM, 400 IM) and Kyle Nash (200 fly).

VILLANOVA WILDCATS
Villanova, Pa.

Villanova's women took its third-straight BIG EAST Championship last season. The Wildcats currently hold the top time in the conference in 10 of the individual racing events to be held at the championship among six swimmers including: Alexandra Fabbri (50 Free, 100 free, 200 free), Emily Mayo (500 free), Caitlin Daday (mile), Darby Goodwin (100 back, 200 back, 200 IM), Mackenzie Niness (200 fly) and Elise Pidutti (400 IM). VU's women topped Georgetown and Seton Hall during the season.

The VU men finished last season in fourth place, currently Andrew Kelley (100 back), Justin Cucchi (200 back) and Jake Hoin (100 fly) hold the top times in the BIG EAST in a Championship event for the season. The VU men have picked up wins over Georgetown and Providence while falling to Seton Hall this season.

2016 CHAMPIONSHIP (WOMEN)

Xavier's women return seven All-BIG EAST Team honorees from last year's squad that placed third at the conference championship.

Among the returnees is Paxtyn Drew, who was All-Conference in six events, including the 100 back and 200 back, events in which she set NCAA B-Cut times in during last year's championship meet, setting school records and becoming the first women in Xavier's history to hit that standard.

The Musketeers also return Caroline Gaertner, who was All-Conference in five events, including the 100 back which she finished second in during the finals to collect the top finish for the Musketeer women. Gaertner became the second woman in Xavier history to set an NCAA B-Cut time last November, touching the wall in 55.00 in the 100 back at the CSU Magnus Cup.

Xavier also returns All-BIG EAST honorees Laura Dicus (200 Free Relay), Taylor Jach (800 Free Relay), Katie Kerr (800 Free Relay), Becca Titterton (200 Medley Relay) and Ashley Whiteley (400 Medley Relay).

2016 CHAMPIONSHIP (MEN)

The Musketeer men won a third-straight BIG EAST Championship last February, taking the top spot in eight individual races and four of five relays.

The Musketeers set four school records and three NCAA B-Cut times during last years' championships, including a time of 48.13 in the 100 fly by event champion Knox Hitt who returns for the Musketeers. Hitt was also All-BIG EAST in six other events)

Nathan Runyon, who swept the backstroke events at last season's Championship, also returns for the Musketeers.

Xavier also brings back All-Conference honorees Chase Baldwin (200 Back), Erik Biernat (200 Medley Relay), Matthew Dyer (200 Breast), Enrique Hernandez (800 Free Relay), Sam Johanns (200 Free Relay, 400 Free Relay), Rodrigo Suriano (50 Free, 100 Free, 200 Free Relay, 400 Free Relay, 800 Free Relay) and Alexander Wolfred (500 Free, 800 Free Relay).

LAST TIME OUT (WOMEN)

Xavier was last in action when the Musketeers hosted Wright State for Senior Day. Emily Conners and Caroline Gaertner matched for second place in the 50 free with a times of 24.58.
Conners also placed second in the 100 free.

Paxtyn Drew took the top spot in the 200 back with a time of 2:06.28. She also finished second in the 100 back.

Katie Kerr took second in the 200 free and 500 free.

Mikaela Saugstad won the 400 IM with a season-best time of 4:44.93.

Heidi Turner posted a personal best time of 1:01.12 in the 100 fly.

The women closed out the meet with a first-place finish in the 400 free relay.

The Musketeers fell by a final score of 144-117.

LAST TIME OUT (MEN)

Against the Raiders, Xavier's men took the top spot in five events.

Matthew Dyer swept the breast stroke events with times of 58.27 (100) and 2:08.58 (200). Dyer also finished third in the 400 IM.

Rodrigo Suriano took the top spot in the 50 free with a time of 21.06. Suriano also placed second in the 100 free.

The Musketeers took the top three spots in the 500 free, with Alex Wolfred placing first and Brandon Abboud and Nick Strader following him in. Wolfred also posted a second-place finish in the 200 free.
Knox Hitt took the top spot in the 100 fly with a time of 50.31.

Sam Johanns, Suriano, Enrique Hernandez and Hitt closed out the meet with a win in the 400 free relay.

Xavier narrowly defeated the Raiders 131.5-127.5.

WEEKLY AWARDS

Xavier swimming finished the regular season with eight BIG EAST Athletes of the Week honors, four each for the men and the women.

Knox Hitt earned Athlete of the Week honors from the conference office for the week of January 24 for his performance at the Butler Invite. In the spring Paxtyn Drew also earned the honor on January 10 for her performance at IUPUI.

Men's and women's swimming combined to collect six BIG EAST Weekly awards during the Fall semester.

The Musketeers swept the BIG EAST Weekly Awards for the second time this season in the week of Nov. 22, when Michael Pettinichi and Caroline Gaertner took the honors after their performances at the CSU Magnus Cup.

That made two Weekly Awards from the conference offices this season for Gaertner, who along with Rodirgo Suriano, was named Athlete of the Week by the conference for the week of Nov. 1. Suriano also earned BIG EAST Swimmer of the Week honors for the week of Oct. 25.

Emily Conners also earned the honor from both the conference offices and CollegeSwimming.com in the opening week of the season

SCHOLAR ALL-AMERICA TEAM

Xavier men's and women's swimming earned the Musketeers the distinction of Scholar All-America Teams by College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) for Fall 2016.
To earn the recognition, programs must have achieved a grade point average of 3.00 or higher for the Fall semester. Xavier is one of 87 schools to have both its men's and women's teams honored.

The Xavier women were one of 164 NCAA DI teams honored, posting a 3.41 GPA last semester, which ranks in the top third of the DI teams and is the second highest among BIG EAST Conference members.

The Musketeer men were one of 87 Division I teams honored, posting a top-15 GPA of 3.34 last semester, the highest mark among BIG EAST schools.