Thursday, February 20, 2003
Written by Julie Fox

WOMEN'S SWIMMING & DIVING COMPETES AT NESCAC CHAMPIONSIHPS THIS WEEKEND

After finishing the dual meet schedule with an impressive 7-1 record, the Tufts University Women's Swimming & Diving team looks forward to the upcoming New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Championship Meet. Head Coach Nancy Bigelow's squad looks to finish in the top half overall, while qualifying individuals and relays for Nationals.  The NESCAC Championships are this weekend, February 21-23 at Bowdoin College's Greason Pool.

Several Jumbos rank near the top of their events.  The team looks especially strong in the Individual Medley (IM) events, where junior Mika Sumiyoshi (Fukuoka City, JAPAN), a two-time qualifier for nationals, and sophomore Erica Weitz (Cherry Hill, NJ), a one-time qualifier for nationals, shine.  In the 200 IM, Sumiyoshi has recorded the second-fastest time in the NESCAC this season at 2:11.82 and has already reached the national provisional qualifying time of 2:12.49.  Weitz comes in at number six with a time of 2:13.97 in the 200.  Both will chase sophomore Jill Wyrick of Amherst College, who swam a 2:11.43 race to claim the top spot.  They will also be chasing the 2:09.99 automatic national qualifiying mark.

In the 400 IM, Sumiyoshi sits atop the NESCAC rankings with a 4:36.19 time, and Weitz is seventh with a time of 4:45.43.  The national qualifying standard for this race is 4:34.99, and the provisional time is 4:43.99.  As a freshman Sumiyoshi finished ninth in this event at nationals with a 4:34.38 time. She will look to capture the NESCAC championship in the event, with second-ranked Nicole Knapp of Hamilton's 4:40.83 time more than four seconds slower than Mika's.

Sumiyoshi also looks to qualify in the 200 Backstroke, which she swam at Nationals last season.  She is currently ranked sixth in the NESCAC with a time of 2:12.04, just over four seconds behind NESCAC leader Meghan Faughnan of Williams College, who swam a time of 2:07.27 earlier this season.  The national qualifying time in this event is 2:07.49.

Weitz ranks in the top five NESCAC swimmers in the 500 Freestyle.  She is fifth with a time of 5:17.85, less than five seconds behind NESCAC leader Morgan Bayer of Amherst, who has recorded a time of 5:12.89.  The automatic national qualifying time in this race is 5:03.99, with a provisional time of 5:11.49.

Other swimmers also have been performing well for the Jumbos and should have a good showing at NESCACs.  Freshman Meghan Wallach (Whitefish Bay, WI) is ranked fourth in the NESCAC in the 50 yard Butterfly with a time of 27.85.  She is also seventh in the 100 IM with a 1:04.48 best. Sophomore Katherine Ferguson (Denver, CO) sits at sixth in the 100 Breaststroke with a time of 1:10.64, just over four seconds off the automatic national qualifying time of 1:06.29 and just over two seconds off the provisional qualifying time of 1:08.59.

Tufts' best relays during the dual meet season were the 800 Freestyle team that ranks third in NESCACs with an 8:16.89 time. The 200 Freestyle Relay foursome posted a 1:43.26 that is fourth in the conference rankings.

The Jumbos hope to improve on their showing from last year, when the team finished sixth out of 11 teams at the NESCAC Championships.  The Jumbos also would like to qualify at least three people for Nationals as they did last year.  Last season was the first time since 1998 that the Jumbos had qualified three swimmers and divers for nationals.

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