Swimming and Diving Opens BIG EAST Action

SYRACUSE, N.Y.- The Syracuse University men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams are set for their first BIG EAST meet of the 2005 season as they take on Pittsburgh at home on Saturday. The men’s team enters the meet with a record of 1-0, while the women’s team looks to improve on its 0-1 record.

Both teams faired well during their last competition at the Army Invitational on October 21 and 22. Vanessa Duenas (Miami, Fla.) led the women’s team with first place finishes in the 200-IM with a time of 2:09.14, the 400-IM with a time of 4:29.69 and the 200-fly with a time of 2:06.75. Lisa Wittich (St. Louis, Mo) also performed well for the women winning the 100-free in 10:35.34, and the 500-free in a time of 5:09.10.

Rob Persico (Fulton, Md.), Ryan Caponera (Latham, N.Y.) and Luk Boral (Poznan, Poland) all had strong performances for the men’s team with two first place finishes each. Persico finished first in both the 100-back and 200-back with times of 55.72 and 1:55.36, respectively. Caponera captured the 50-free with a time of 22.00 and the 100-free with a time of 47.55. Boral finished first in the 200-IM with a time of 1:56.29 and again in the 200-breast with a time of 2:06.2.

Pittsburgh last faced off in an inter-squad exhibition where men’s team captain Jason Miller broke two of his own meet records, finishing the 200-fly with a time of 1:52.09, and the 100-fly in 50.09. On the women’s side team captain Kristen Brown recorded three new meet records during the inter-squad competition, finishing the 200-free in 1:51.25, the 100-free in 51.25 and the 500-free with a time of 5:00.94. Pittsburgh will open its 2005-2006 season against St. Bonaventure on Friday prior to its meet against Syracuse.

Last season, both the men’s and women’s teams lost against Pittsburgh, 165-78 and 140-5-95.5, respectively.

Saturday’s competition will begin with diving at 9 a.m. followed by swimming at 12 p.m.

Syracuse University Athletics

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