David Bates Photo

UNE finishes 7th at New England Championships


Meet Results
Team Scores

KINGSTON, R.I. -- The University of New England women's swimming team took 7th place out of 20 teams at the New England Intercollegiate Swimming & Diving Association (NEISDA) Championships, which wrapped up on Sunday (Feb. 16) at Tootell Aquatic Center on the campus of the University of Rhode Island.

Keene State College cruised to victory over the three-day competition, racking up 1664.5 points. The Owls were followed by Roger Williams University (1130), Simmons College (908), Saint Michael's College (888), Eastern Connecticut State University (885), and Colby-Sawyer College (614).

The Nor'easters (552 points) came away with eight All-New England (top 8) performances, as well as the Steve Looke Sportsmanship Award, which is presented to a team by the association's head coaches. UNE swimmers also set four new program records.

Kelly Dolyak logged a trio of All-New England finishes and established new team records in the process. She took 4th in both the 1,000 freestyle (11:05.55) and 1,650 freestyle (18:31.25) events, and 7th in the 500 free (5:23.96). The junior bettered her own mark from a season ago in the 500, and passed Jessica Sweeney for the program record in the other two races -- each had been in place for three years. Dolyak now has six All-New England distinctions in as many races for UNE.

Emily Zeimetz took home a pair of All-New England honors by placing 5th in the 50 butterfly (27.93) and 6th in the 100 individual medley (1:03.44). Her time in the IM bettered an eight-year-old program record previously held by Courtney Burdick (by just 0.07 seconds). Zeimetz, a junior, also claimed 16th in the 100 fly.

Like Zeimetz, sophomore Sara DeAngelo turned in two All-New England efforts in the 100 fly (1:02.01) and 200 fly (2:18.64). Additionally, she finished 9th in the 200 IM.

Sophomore Rachael Romain recorded an All-New England showing of her own, taking 6th in the 400 IM (4:58.52). She touched the wall 11th in the 500 free and 13th in the 200 breaststroke.

Seniors Patrice Tetu and Alex Gabriels had strong races of their own to contribute to the Big Blue total. Tetu took 10th, 14th, and 15th in the three butterfly events (200, 100, and 50, respectively); Gabriels posted 12th place in the 100 IM.

All four UNE relays competed in the finals of their events -- the 800 freestyle group finished one spot away from All-New England status (5th - 8:28.52) with the efforts of Dolyak, DeAngelo, Tetu, and Romain.