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The three-time defending MAAC Champions Fairfield University have added 3 new verbal commitments to their women’s swimming & diving class for the fall of 2021.
Sydney Scalise from Swim Atlanta, Olivia Thompson from the Laurel East Hartford YMCA, and Lily Barker from the North Shore Swim Club have all committed to the Stags.
Those 3 will join Bella Tejeda and Erini Pappas, the top recruit in the group so far, as part of the Fairfield class of 2025.
Sydney Scalise
Scalise, a senior at Milton High School in Alpharetta, Georgia, won the 2019 Southern Zones Age Group Championship in the 800 meter free, swimming 9:24.98.
In 2020, as a junior, Scalise qualified for the Georgia 6A-7A High School State Championship meet, where in class 7A she had a high individual finish of 18th in the 100 free.
Top Times in Yards:
- 50 free – 24.98
- 100 free – 53.08
- 200 free – 1:54.48
- 500 free – 5:03.42
Her best times in the 200 and 500 free would have placed her in the A-final at last year’s MAAC Championships, and her 100 free would’ve just missed the same by about a tenth of a second.
She should also have an immediate spot on the team’s 800 free relay, which won the MAAC title by almost 5 seconds last season, and is not far from a spot on the 400 free relay as well. As a freshman, with 2-final scoring in the MAAC championships, she projects to be at least a 25 or 30 point impact for Fairfield immediately.
Olivia Thompson
A local product who lives less than an hour from the Fairfield University, the Wethersfield High School senior is another freestyler for the Stags – the strength upon which they’ve built their recent dynasty.
In November, as a junior, Thompson was 10th in the 100 free at the Connecticut State High School Open-Class Championships and 15th in the 50 free.
In the Class L State Championship Meet, her primary taper event, she finished 2nd in the 50 free and 3rd in the 100 free.
In total, after a little bit of time stagnation as a sophomore, she dropped 1.3 seconds in the 100 free and half-a-second in the 50 free from her best times as a junior.
Top Times in Yards:
- 50 free – 24.24 (23.78 relay split)
- 100 free – 53.44
- 200 free – 1:56.90
Her best times so far would have all placed her in the A-final at last year’s MAAC Championships. In the 50, she would’ve been .16 seconds away from an A final. That will be a crucial refresh of that event for Fairfield: their only top-10 finisher at last year’s MAAC Championships, league champion Maria Nitti, is a senior this season.
Lily Barker
From Arlington, Massachusetts, Barker is a senior at Arlington High School.
Barker has never finished lower than 4th at an MIAA Fall High School State Championship meet. That’s one of 4 state championship meets across 2 seasons in the fragmented Massachusetts schedule.
In the fall of 2019, her junior season, Barker finished 2nd in the 200 free in 1:55.85 and 3rd in the 500 free in 5:08.41.
In spite of those lofty results, she’s actually a little better in the sprint freestyles at this point of her career.
Best Times in Yards:
- 50 free – 24.65 (24.36 relay split)
- 100 free – 52.78 (52.77 relay split)
- 200 free – 1:54.72
- 500 free – 5:08.41
Like Thompson, she’ll help rebuild the Fairfield sprint group. Even with a year of development to go, her best time in the 100 free would have placed 7th at last year’s MAAC Championships.
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Go Stags! Keep winning the MAAC!