Feb. 19, 2008
WASHINGTON -
The American University men's and women's swimming and diving teams will compete in the Patriot League Championships this Thursday through Saturday, Feb. 21-23, at Lejeune Hall on the campus of the U.S. Naval Academy. Returning three-time 500 and 1650 free champion Meghan Thiel will look to capture her fourth straight title in each event this weekend and recapture the 200 free crown which she won in 2005 and 2006.
"We have had a number of very strong swims over the season," Head Coach Mark Davin said. "We also have several returning scorers from last year's championships and several promising freshman whom we believe will have an impact this year. We are greatly looking forward to very fast swimming and ripped dives from our team."
Competition will begin on Thursday morning with the men's and women's 500 free where Thiel, a three-time PL Champion in the event, will seek her fourth-consecutive title. Thiel swam a winning time of 4:51.69 as a freshman in the championship race and topped that the next year with a personal best and PL record 4:48.05. Last year, Thiel won the event with a time of 4:49.52 and is seeded second in this year's race with a season-best 4:53.39.
Thiel will also be looking to capture her third 200 free championship and fourth straight 1650 free championship this weekend. Thiel won the 200 free as a freshman and sophomore before taking second in her junior year. This year Thiel will be the third seed in the race with a season-best time of 1:51.87. Like the 500 free, the 1650 free has been an event Thiel has owned during her college career. Thiel is a three-time PL champion in the event and owns both the AU and PL record time of 16:36.58, swam in the championship race her sophomore year. Thiel is currently ranked 44th in the country and will enter the race as the third seed after swimming a season-best time of 16:41.50.
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Three other returning scorers will also compete for AU this in the championships and will be joined by three up-and-coming freshmen. Julia Anstadt placed 16th last year in the 100 breast with a career-best 1:08.65 and is seeded 21st this year. Molly Bohmer, who finished 14th in the 1650 free as a freshman, is currently seeded 23rd and Gabriela Feibel, who finished 16th also as a freshman in last year's 1650 free, is seeded 16th.
Freshmen Eleanor Clay, Dorothy Isaacs and Mary-Margaret Lopez will be making their PL Championships debut after completing strong seasons in which each has moved onto AU's all-time top-10 list. Clay currently sits at seventh in the 200 breast with a time of 2:27.52 which has her seeded seventh heading into the weekend. Isaacs is listed on the school's all-time list for the 50 free, 100 free and 100 breast, and is seeded 13th, 10th and 11th, respectively. Lopez swam a 58.16 in the 100 fly earlier this season, putting her at fifth on the AU top-10, and is seeded sixth.
The men's team will be led into action by returning conference finalist Dan Nagelberg and the newest members of the men's all-time top-10 list, Joe Coronato and Matt Pelletier. Nagelberg scored in the 1650 free as well as the 200 and the 400 IM at last year's championships with finishes of eighth, 12th and 12th, respectively. Nagelberg is seeded 15th, 20th and 14th heading into the weekend.
Coronato entered the AU top-10 at eighth in the 50 free with a time of 21.27 and at 10th in the 100 free with a 46.79 this season. He is seeded sixth and fifth in the events, respectively, and fifth in the 200 free. Pelletier swam the 10th fastest time in AU history in the 100 back this year at 52.30. He is currently seeded fourth in the event.
Competition on each day will begin with preliminary events swam in the morning and the consolation finals and finals coming later in the evening. Parking will be available for spectators at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium with shuttle transportation to Lejeune Hall provided.
For more information on the events schedule, tickets and directions to Lejeune Hall, click here.
