Teams: Men's Swimming & Diving: Press Releases

Thursday, February 26, 2004

MEN'S SWIMMING & DIVING LOOK TO TOP OUT AT NESCACs
Written by Andrew Silver

Following an impressive regular season run, the Tufts University Men's Swimming and Diving team enters this weekend's NESCAC Championships with high expectations.  The Jumbos travel to Bowdoin this weekend (Feb. 27-29) not only looking for many strong individual performances, but also a strong overall finish as a team.

Tufts has many individuals looking to score points on all three days of the meet.  When the action kicks off Friday, the first Jumbo with high hopes will be junior Michael Rochette (Cumberland, RI).  He hopes to be among the top finishers in the 50 Yard Breaststroke, where he holds the NESCAC's third-best time of the season, 28.01 seconds at Trinity on January 24.  Also on Friday is the 50 Butterfly, where freshman Greg Bettencourt (West Granby, CT) looks to be at the front of the pack.  He holds the conference's eighth-best time of the season in the event, 24.64.

Freshman Sloan Harris (Ardsley, NY), who has potential for a huge weekend, kicks it off on Friday in the 500 Freestyle.  His 4:52.72 is the eighth-best time in the event.  Sophomore Jonathan Godsey (Dallas, TX) will also be in action on Friday to begin what could be a big weekend for him.  He looks to start things off with a strong showing in the 50 Backstroke, where he holds a 25.66 performance this year, fifth-best in the NESCAC.

Freshman Michael Kinsella (Hinsdale, IL) hopes to be among the best sprinters in the NESCAC, as he competes in Friday's 50 Free.  His 21.88 is eighth-best on the season.  Tufts' top divers, senior Connell Cloyd (Memphis, TN) and sophomore Todd Putnam (Andover, MA), step up to the 1-meter board looking to impress on Friday.  They hold the seventh- and eighth-best set of six dives, respectively, on the season.

The Jumbos have a big interest in Saturday's 200 Free competition, as three of its swimmers could be among the meet's best.  Competing alongside teammate Harris in the event are junior Richard Halpert (Acton, MA) and sophomore Brett Baker (Englewood, CO).  Harris's 1:46.80 is sixth-best, and Baker's 1:47.16 is eigth-best on the season.  Also on Saturday is the 100 Back competiton, where specialist Godsey returns to the pool.  His 53.69, posted at MIT on January 18, is the third-best time in the conference this season.

On Sunday, Godsey competes in his third and final individual event, moving up in distance to the 200 Back.  At 1:57.10, also at the MIT meet, he has the fourth-best time of the season.  Halpert and Harris both return to the pool on Sunday to compete in the 100 Free.  Senior Tyler Duckworth (Burnsville, MN) will also be in action Sunday, as he looks to put up a low time in the 200 Breast.  His time of 2:18.82 is the NESCAC's fifth-best.

Two Jumbos look to compete at a high level in one of Sunday's concluding events, the 200 Butterfly.  Both junior Seth Baron (Dallas, TX) and sophomore Jason Kapit (Garrett Park, MD) are have the seventh- and eighth-best times of the season at 1:58.38 and 1:58.57, respectively.  Divers Cloyd and Putnam both return to action Sunday this time from the 3 meter board.  Cloyd's 6-dive score of 252.00 is fifth-best on the season.

The field appears to be wide open this weekend with the exception of dominant Williams. The Jumbos as a team are in the next group of squads competing for second through fifth places.

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