Villanova Men/Women Remain Atop Big East After Day 3

Courtesy of Gerry Dunn

2018 BIG EAST SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS – DAY 3

• Wednesday, February 21st – Saturday, February 24th
• Spire Institute, Geneva, Ohio (Eastern Time Zone)
• Prelims 10AM / Finals 6 PM
• Defending Champion: Villanova Women & Seton Hall Men
• Live Results
• Live Event Feed – Big East Digital Network

What an exciting third day of competition at the 2018 Big East Swimming & Diving Championships!  Villanova’s Men and Women stayed atop the leaderboard even after some closely contested races.

The Villanova women have a commanding lead over their Big East competition.  Georgetown got a boost from their divers to hold second with Seton Hall and Xavier close behind.

Villanova Men (506.5) are surprise leaders on day three with a narrow lead over defending champions, Seton Hall (483).  Xavier and Georgetown are neck and neck in third and fourth.  A DQ in the final relay tonight may come back to haunt Georgetown in the final standings. Needless to say – anything can happen tomorrow – but Villanova seems motivated to steal their first Big East Men’s Title in over 20 years.

WOMEN 400 IM

1. Elise Pidutti            V          4:18.58
2. Caitlin Daday          V          4:19.90
3. Christine Sullivan  V          4:21.06
4. Emily Provenzo      V          4:23.69
5. Elizabeth Sargent  SHU      4:24.25
6. Marianne Molloy    SHU      4:26.92

Villanova swept the top 4 positions with five swimmers in the finals.  Elise Pidutti was a convincing winner with a NCAA B Qualifying time of 4:18.58.. Villanova took the next 3 places in the race garnering high points for the event..

MEN 400 IM

1. Daniel Ross         GTW              3:55.54
2. Justin Cucchi       V                   3:55.82
3. Samuel Delise      GTW             3:57.16
4. Ivan Michalovick  SHU              3:59.20
5. Lior Grubert          SHU             3:59.36
6. Jackson Kabas     V                  4:00.06

One of the more exciting races of the evening with Georgetown’s Daniel Ross and Villanova’s Justin Cucchi neck and neck for the entire race.  Ross out-touched Cucchi (355.82) at the wall to take the Gold with a time of 3:55.54.  Samuel Delise of Georgetown rounded out the top spot with a time of 357.16

WOMEN 100 FLY

1. Sydney Simpson      SHU      54.23
2. McKenzie Niness      V           54.63
3. Caroline Gaertner     XAV      54.91
4. Lauren Henasey       GTW      55.02
5. Micaela Grassi          V            55.11
6. Taylor Hogan            XAV       55.89

Sydney Simpson of Seton Hall touched out McKenzie Niness for the Gold.  Her time was an NCAA B qualifying time. Villanova had the top score for the event with 3 finishers in the top 8.

MEN 100 FLY

1. Jake Hoin                 V          48.50
2. David Bunnell          XAV     48.95
3. Liam Cosgrove       SHU      48.89
4. Chris Paynter          V           49.50
5. Matt  Zebrowski      XAV       49.74
6. Charles Clark          XAV       49.75

Jake Hoin of Villanova won the 100 fly title with a NCAA B qualifying time of 48.50. David Bunnell of Xavier and Liam Cosgrove were close behind to take second and third to round out the top three finishers. Villanova and Xavier showed their depth in the event with 7 of 8 finalists.  

WOMEN 200 FREE

1. Alexandra Fabbri            V          1:45.84
2. Millicent Routledge        V           1:48.57
3. Emily Conners               XAV       1:49.37
4. Kathleen Kerr                 XAV       1:51.63
5. Sara Ouelette                 SHU       1:51.68
6. Emily Saugstad             XAV       1:51.77

Villanova posted a 1-2 finish with Alexandra Fabbri taking the gold in 1:45.84.  Her time was a NCAA B qualifying time.  

MEN 200 FREE

1. 1. Vadim Jacobson      SHU     1:36.41
   2. Noah Yanchulis        SHU     1:36.89
   3. Andrew Stange         GTW    1:36.95
   4. Dakota Williams       SHU      1:38.03
   5. Alexander Wolfred    XAV     1:39.38
   6. Jacob Kohlhoff         GTW     1:39.40

One of the closest and most exciting races of the evening.  Seton Hall took first and second.  The top 4 finishers were neck and neck – exchanging leads during the race.  Vadim Jacobson finished fast, and first.  Noah Yanchulis out-touched Andrew Stange of Georgetown for silver. The top 3 finishers in this race all qualified with NCAA B cut times.

WOMEN 100 BREAST

1. Molly Fitzpatrick        GTW      1:01.83
2. Sydney Simpson       SHU       1:02.01
3. Heather Farley            V           1:02.37
4. Rayann Jaryszak        V           1:03.14
5. Jordan Decker           SHU       1:03.67
6. Emma Spotts             BUT        1:03.71

The top three finishers for the women all had NCAA B times.   Molly Fitzpatrick beat Sydney Simpson to the wall for the Big East Title.  Third went to Heather Farley of Villanova.  It was a fabulous finish for the only three Seniors in the race..

MEN 100 BREAST

1. 1. Josh Tosoni            SHU      54.92
   2. Tyler Nussbaum      V          55.04
   3. Matthew Dyer          XAV      55.19
   4. Ryan Trammell       PRV      55.52  TIE 4th
   5. Owen Dougherty    XAV      55.52  TIE 4th
   6. Sean Sali                 SHU      56.08

It was a fight to the finish between Seton Hall’s Josh Tosoni and Villanova’s Tyler Nussbaum.  Tosoni edged out Nussbaum for the title.  Matthew Dyer of Xavier took the bronze and Ryan Trammell and Owen Dougherty both touched the wall in 55.52 to tie for fourth place.  The top three times were all NCAA B qualifying times.

WOMEN 100 BACK

1. 1. Darby Goodwin            V             53.42
   2. Caroline Gaertner      XAV          54.68
   3. Paxtyn Drew               XAV          54.97
   4. Eva Mauze                 GTW          56.06
   5. Ali Fort                        XAV          56.08
   6. Julie Stankiewicz       SHU          56.20

Villanova’s Goodwin is a 3 time Champion in this event.  She defended her title with a NCAA B time of 53.42.  Caroline Gaertner and Paxton Drew of Xavier rounded out the top 3 and also had NCAA B times.

MEN 100 BACK

1. 1. Andrew Kelley         V            48.56
   2. Andrew Carbone     GTW      48.72
   3. Samuel Johanns     XAV       48.77
   4. Tyler Kauth              SHU       49.33
   5. Nathan Runyon        XAV       49.81
   6. David Bunnell          XAV        49.83

Xavier and Seton Hall had the depth in this event – but Andrew Kelley from Villanova had the speed.  Andrew took the title with a time of 48.56 – closely followed by Andrew Carbone of Georgetown and Samuel Johanns of Xavier.

WOMEN 3M DIVING

1. Elizabeth Miller     GTW       527.55
2. Riley Fujioka         GTW       522.65
3. Naomi Peng          GTW        503.00
4. Taylor Jackson     SHU        500.95
5. Kendall Jerzyk      PRV        458.15
6. Jenny Schrenker    V           420.35

Georgetown swept the Woman’s One Meter Springboard event with Elizabeth Miller edging out Riley Fujioka and Naomi Peng for the Big East Title.  Taylor Jackson of Seton Hall was a strong 4th place finisher – after winning the Three Meter event.

WOMEN 400 MEDLEY RELAY

1. Villanova                      3:39.17 (Pool Record)
2. Xavier                           3:43.95
3. Georgetown                 3:44.08
4. Seton Hall                    3:44.97
5. Butler                           3:51.34
6. Providence                  3:57.67

In the women’s event, Villanova picked up its third pool record with a time of 3:39.17. Goodwin swam the lead leg followed by Heather Farley, Niness and Taylor Wilson in the anchor position.

MEN 400 MEDLEY RELAY

1. Villanova                            3:14.70
2. Seton Hall                          3:16.77
3. Xavier                                 3:17.20
4. Providence                         3:19.55
5. Georgetown                       DQ

Villanova led from the start with the team of Andrew Kelley, Tyler Nussbaum, Jake Hoin and Stephen Krecsmar.   They were followed by Seton Hall, Xavier and Providence.  Georgetown was DQ’ed for an early start – which may haunt them in a meet this close.

Team Rankings – After Day 3

Women
1. Villanova               657.5
2. Georgetown          452.5
3. Seton Hall             595.0
4. Xavier                    387.0
5. Butler                    161.0
6. Providence           155.0

Men
1. Villanova               506.5
2. Seton Hall             483.0
3. Xavier                    420.5
4. Georgetown        419.5
5. Providence          156.5