UMBC Swimming & Diving Dominates in Victories, Prepares for Bucknell Invitational
UMBC’s swimming and diving teams are poised for a challenging three-day competition at the Bucknell Invitational, beginning Friday, November 17th, with finals scheduled for Friday and Saturday at 6 p.m. and Sunday at 5 p.m. The teams enter the invitational following impressive wins against Howard and VMI last Saturday, showcasing both individual brilliance and team depth.
Retrievers Sweep Competition Against Howard and VMI
The UMBC Men’s team delivered a commanding performance, sweeping the podium in both diving events and securing victories in eight swimming events against Howard (221-78) and VMI (188-111). The Women’s team mirrored this success, defeating Howard (173-122) and VMI (227-72), led by standout performances from junior Ember Stennett. Stennett’s exceptional dives qualified her for NCAA Zones.
Stennett Qualifies for NCAA Zones with Impressive Diving
Junior Ember Stennett proved to be a force in the diving well, qualifying for NCAA Zones with a score of 280.20 in the three-meter competition. She also secured gold in the one-meter dive with a score of 217.55, narrowly edging out teammate Alicia Buteau (217.25). Isabella Evers and Samantha Rhee also contributed strong performances, finishing third and fourth respectively in the three-meter event, while Evers took fourth in the one-meter.
Marini and Duratovic Lead the Way in Swimming Events
Alice Marini demonstrated her versatility and skill, winning all three individual events she entered: the 200 fly (2:09.06), the 200 back (2:04.80), and the 200 IM (2:09.54). Marini also contributed to a second-place finish in the 200 medley relay alongside Lea Kaiser, Nicol Davanzo, and Erma Duratovic. Duratovic also had a stellar day, winning both the 100 fly (57.47) and the 50 free (24.43), and anchoring the silver-winning 400 free relay team with Bruna of Padua, Claire Oettinger, and Evie Grim.
Depth and Dominance Across Multiple Events
Colby travel and de Padua showcased their strength in distance events, finishing first and second in the 1000 free with a time of 10:50.38. Ula Parrill, Lambert Ocean, and Daphne Melis dominated the 200 breaststroke, securing the top three spots. Davanzo finished second to Marini in the 200 fly and third in the 100 fly, while Oettinger took second in the 100 free. Breanna Smith and Karlie Atwood rounded out the top three in the 200 IM, following Marini’s gold-medal performance.
Men’s Team Excels in Diving and Relays
On the men’s side, Anders Logas was the star diver, winning both the one-meter (282.90) and three-meter (282.05) competitions. The Retrievers demonstrated exceptional depth in diving, claiming the top four spots in the one-meter and the top three in the three-meter. Freshman Quinn Marchionini made an immediate impact, winning both the 100 (50.96) and 200 back (1:54.09), and contributing to the winning 200 medley relay team alongside Elliot Fielder, Stefano Perez, and Sean Neill.
Fielder, McEachern, and Taveira Lira Secure Individual Wins
Fielder continued his strong performance, winning both the 100 (58.51) and 200 breaststroke (2:08.74). Neils secured victory in the freestyle event with a time of 46.07. Andrew McEachern (1:42.47) and Felipe Taveira Lira went 1-2 in the 200 free, with Taveira Lira later winning the 200 IM in 1:56.17. The 400 relay team of Neils, McEachern, Perez, and So finished a close second, concluding a successful meet for the Retrievers.
The UMBC swimming and diving teams will look to carry this momentum into the Bucknell Invitational, continuing their pursuit of excellence as the season progresses.
