Teams: Men's Swimming & Diving: Press Releases

Thursday, March 4, 2004

SEVEN JUMBOS NAMED TO ALL-NESCAC SWIMMING TEAMS

MEDFORD – Senior tri-captain Mika Sumiyoshi (Branford, CT/Branford), a conference champion in two events, leads a group of seven Tufts University swimmers recently named to the All-New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) team. The top three finishers in each event at the conference championship meet receive all-conference recognition.

Sumiyoshi was the only Jumbo from the women's team to be honored. On the men's side, junior breaststroker Mike Rochette (Cumberland, RI/Mount St. Charles), the 200 freestyle relay team and the 400 freestyle relay team earned the accolades. Sophomore Brett Baker (Englewood, CO/Cherry Creek), sophomore Mike Kinsella (Hinsdale, IL) and senior Nick Ghoussaini (Frankfurt, Germany/Frankfurt Int'l School) were members of both the 200 and 400 freestyle relay foursomes. Junior Rich Halpert (Acton, MA/Acton-Boxborough) was also recognized as part of the 400 relay, and freshman Sloan Harris (Ardsley, NY) was on the team with the 200.

Sumiyoshi was the third highest individual scorer at the NESCAC women's championships hosted by Wesleyan University on February 20-22. She defended her conference titles in the 200 Individual Medley with a time of 2 minutes, 6.9 seconds and in the 400 IM with a 4:31.33 finish. Both times broke her own Tufts records and automatically qualified her to compete at the NCAA championship meet in Missouri March 11-13. Sumiyoshi led Tufts to 4^th place overall at NESCACs.

Tufts got off on the right foot at the men's conference championship meet at Bowdoin College on February 27-29. On the first day of the meet, in the first event, the 200 freestyle relay team finished third with a time of 1:24.27, a new school record. Rochette followed that up in the next event, the 50 breaststroke, by earning another third with a time of 26.80 seconds, another Tufts record. On Sunday, the 400 freestyle relay placed third in 3:08.56. The Jumbos are provisionally qualified to compete at the NCAA national championship meet on March 18-20 in both relays and in four other events.

Tufts men's head coach Don Megerle, now in his 33^rd season, was voted the conference's Coach of the Year for the second straight season. The Jumbos placed a strong third behind Williams and Amherst at the NESCAC championships.

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