Katie Lafferty, Saint Francis U
Bremen, IN/Bremen
The three-time NEC Swimmer of the Week collected a trio of individual wins and set two pool records along the way in a dual meet against Wagner on Saturday. The sophomore earned a first place finish in the 50 freestyle with a time 24.05 and touched first in the 200 freestyle, clocking in at 1:53.27. Both times established new pool marks and were the fastest times recorded in the NEC this season. Lafferty closed out her individual wins with a victory in the 500 freestyle after she touched in 5:09.20. The Indiana native also had a hand in helping the 200 freestyle relay team record a first place finish – setting another pool record in the process – with a time of 1:37.64.
NEC DIVER OF THE WEEK
Kelci Abernethy, Bryant
Fr., Chandler, AZ/Perry
In claiming her third NEC Diver of the Week nod, Abernethy finished first in the 3-meter dive along with a second place finish in the 1-meter dive against Vermont on Sunday. Abernethy’s score of 246.65 broke her own school record in the 3-meter. The Arizona product just missed out on first place in the 1-meter event as she recorded a season-high 237.44 score, just behind the winning 237.96 mark.
NEC WOMEN’S SWIMMING ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Briana Vega, LIU Brooklyn
Fr., Brooklyn, NY
Competing against St. Francis Brooklyn on Saturday, Vega secured an individual win and contributed to two relay team victories as the Blackbirds remained undefeated in NEC dual meets. The freshman won the 50 free for the second time this season, posting a personal best time of 24.55, which ranks her sixth in the NEC this fall. Vega was also part of the winning 200 medley (1:51.56) and 200 freestyle (1:41.15) relay teams. The freestyle relay team’s time established a new pool record.
In an NEC matchup this past Saturday, Wagner came away with a 148-114 victory over Saint Francis U and broke four pool records in the process.
The Seahawks opened up strong as Anu Nihipali (Honolulu, HI/Hawaii Preparatory Academy), Katja Claesson (Fullerton, CA/Troy), Amanda Lucia (East Hampton, MA/East Hampton) and Dorian McMenemy (Northborough, MA/Algonquin Regional) took first in the 200 medley relay. The squad turned in a time of 1:46.11 breaking the first record of the day.
Claesson and Nihipali would go on to claim individual victories along with each setting a pool mark. Claesson took first in the 100 breaststroke (1:05.47) and 200 breaststroke with her record breaking time of 2:23.61, which is also the second fastest time in the NEC. Nihipali touched first in the 200 backstroke (2:07.59) and in the 100 backstroke with a record time of 56.13.
Lucia would continue the record breaking onslaught as she competed in the 200 butterfly, beating out the second place finisher by more than four seconds in 2:06.27 for a new pool standard. Her time in the event is also the fastest time in the NEC this season. The senior would remain undefeated at the meet as she also took first in the 100 butterfly (58.45).
Senior Maggie Shaw (Chantilly, VA/Chantilly) would be the last of the Seahawks to record an individual win. Shaw took first in the 1,000 free in 10:48.58, the second fastest time in the conference.
NEC Swimming & Diving Wrapup:
• LIU remains unbeaten in NEC dual meets (3-0) after downing St. Francis Brooklyn, 109-78, this past weekend. The Blackbirds took first in both the 200 medley and 200 freestyle relays. The freestyle combination of Mads Carrigan (Overland Park, KS), Katelyn Coleman (Lac La Biche, Alberta), NEC Rookie of the Week Briana Vega (Brooklyn, NY) and Oleksandra Kashyrina (Odessa, Ukraine) posted a time of 1:41.15 to set a new pool record. Kashyrina continued to dominate for the Blackbirds as she took first in the 1000 free (11:11.54) and the 100 free (54.06). Coleman found her first win in the 100 backstroke event with a time of 1:02.23. Nathalie Meyers (Dearborn, MI) earned a pair of individual wins in the 100 IM and 500 free events after recording times of 1:02.56 and 5:24.99, respectively. Milly Furneaux (Dover, England) continued her winning streak in the 100 breaststroke as she posted a first place time of 1:07.00. Vega and Danielle Jefferies (Kihei, HI) would be the remaining Blackbirds to seal individual wins. Vega took first in the 50 free (24.55) for the second time this season while Jefferies touched first in the 100 butterfly (58.66).
• Saint Francis U set three pool records in a setback to Wagner. NEC Swimmer of the Week Katie Lafferty (Bremen, IN/Bremen) paced the Red Flash as she won three individual events along with breaking two school records. Her record breaking times came in the 200 freestyle (1:53.27) and the 50 freestyle (24.05). Both times currently rank as the fastest in the NEC this season. Lafferty’s third win came in the 500 freestyle as she touched in 5:09.20. She is now a three-time NEC weekly honoree. The combination of Lafferty, Catherine Rodgers (Nokesville, VA/Seton School), Jessie Reilly (Pittsburgh, PA/Upper St. Clair), and Alicia Tiberino (Potomac, MD/Winston Churchill) won the 200 freestyle relay in a pool record time of 1:37.64. Reilly would also nab an individual win for the Red Flash in the 100 freestyle (53.79).
• Bryant fell to Vermont in a Sunday dual meet. Nicole Salzano (Elmwood Park, NJ) and three-time NEC Diver of the Week Kelci Abernethy (Chandler, AZ) were the lone Bulldogs to clinch first place finishes for the team. Salzano won the 200 backstroke after touching in a time of 2:07.59 and would also record a second place finish in the 100 back with a time of 59.90. Abernethy broke her own school record in the 3-meter diving event after posting a score of 246.65. She also finish a close second in the 1-meter even with a season-high score of 237.44.
• Central Connecticut fell to Vermont in a home meet on Saturday. Sophomore Maddy Garber (Milford, MA/Milford) was the lone Blue Devil to secure individual wins. Garber’s first victory came in the 100 yard breaststroke as her time of 1:05.03 was almost a full second ahead of the runner-up. The sophomore would go on to win the 200 breaststroke, nearly five seconds faster than the second place finisher, with a time of 2:21.29. Garber was also part of the 200 yard medley team, teaming with Kaitlyn Troy (Montgomery, NY/Valley Central), Lisa Ward (Trumbull, CT/Trumbull) and Christine Rasile (Branford, CT/Branford) for a second place finish in 1:48.45.
• Sacred Heart fell to host Assumption over the weekend. The Pioneers earned a victory in the 200 freestyle relay with a team comprised of Caleigh Dion (Dunstable, MA/Groton Dunstable Regional), Renee Russo (Medford, NJ/Shawnee), Oliva Decas (Mattaposiett, MA/Bishop Stang) and Jill Crosby (Port Monmouth, NJ/Red Bank Catholic). They set a pool record of 1:42.62 to beat out the host team’s record of 1:42.78 that was set back in 2013. The Pioneers also swept the 50 free as Crosby, Decas and Dion finished first (25.86), second (25.87) and third (26.17), respectively.