Bryant
The Bulldog lineup features two-time NEC Swimmer of the Year Casey Ostrander (Yarmouthport, MA/Barstable) who will look to defend her record breaking 200 and 100 yard backstroke titles. The junior currently holds the conference standard in the 50 (23.50) and 100 (51.87) free, as well as the 100 backstroke (57.20). Ostrander has been named NEC Swimmer of the Week six times in the 2011-12 season and also brings a national level of experience after competing at the U.S. National Championship in Atlanta in early December. Joining her at the meet was sophomore Taylor DeBever (Denver, CO/Regis School) who, after taking home gold in the 200 freestyle at last year’s NEC Championship, earned the right to a spot at the National event. The Colorado native will also look to tally points in the 50, 100 and 500 free. Molly Smith (Belmont, MA/Belmont) and the most recent NEC Swimmer of the Week Brianne Dwyer (Hicksville, NY/Saint Anthony’s) will also be factors.
Central Connecticut
After a stellar freshman and sophomore season for the Blue Devils 2010 NEC Rookie of the Year, Taylor Friedmann (Berlin, CT/Berlin) will be looking to defend her record setting first place 500 freestyle title (4:50.57). The Connecticut native has continued to make waves in the pool as a junior and comes into the 2011-12 championship holding the league standard in the 500, 1000 and 1650 free, as well as one NEC Swimmer of the Week honor to her name. Also looking to defend their respective titles will be Alex Czaplicki (North Haven, CT/North Haven) and 2010 NEC Diver of the Year Madison Vestergaard (Middletown, CT/Middletow). Czaplicki took home gold in the 200 and 400 IM in 2011, while Vestergaard, a five time NEC Diver of the Week honoree this season, swept both the one and three diving meter events as a junior. Additionally Friedmann and Helene Neuhaus (Weatport, CT/Staples) also bring national experience following their participation in the U.S. National swim meet.
Mount St. Mary’s
Sporting the league’s best 200 freestyle relay time for the 2011-12 season (1:38.39), the Mount will rely on the foursome of Cat Coppler (Enfield, CT/Enrico Fermi), Mollie Walsh (Havertown, PA/Archbishop John Carroll), Courtney Griffith (Westminster, MD/Westminster) and Anne Thelen (Winston Salem, NC/Cardinal Gibbons) to bring home top honors in the event. Erin Regan (Ft. Washington, PA/Upper Dublin)and Patricia Yam (Placenta, CA/Rosary) will also be contributors as they have performed well in the 100 and 200 butterfly this winter.
Sacred Heart
Junior Meg Bailey (Walpole, MA/Walpole) will be a factor for the Pioneers as she sports the loop’s best 200 butterfly time (1:59.17), while freshman Malvina Reinhold (Gothenburg, Sweeden/Kitas Gymnasium) finished the regular season with one of the top-16 the 100 breaststroke times in the league. The native of Sweeden also performed well in the 100 and 200 free. Both Pioneers will look to add points.
St. Francis (NY)
The Terriers will look to senior Ewelina Gorecka (Kielce, Poland/Sport High School in Raciborz) to perform well after she landed in the top-16 for the 200 breast for her season best performance of 2:34.53. Senior Jemma Hinkly (West Palm Beach, FL/Alexander W. Drefoos Jr. School of the Arts) brings experience for the Terriers as does Alexandra Santo (Brooklyn, NY/Savior).
Saint Francis (PA)
The back-to-back champions will look to make it three in a row this year with the help of 2011 NEC Rookie of the Year Elise Lofgren (Molnlycke, Sweden/Hulebacks) who comes into the 2012 championship with a head of steam after recording conference standard in the 400 and 200 IM as well as the 100 and 200 breast stroke over the course of the 2011-12 season. With her current times Lofgren is poised to defend her 200 breast stroke first-place crown. Megan Collins (Monroeville, PA/Oakland Catholic) will look to defend her first place title in the 1650 freestyle while Alicia Ford (Whiteny Point, NY/Whitney Point) will look to do the same in the 100 freestyle. Ford and sophomore Libby Francis (Dundee, Scotland/Grove Academy) were able to represent the Flash at U.S. Nationals in December and bring a national level of experience. The Flash 200 and 400 medley and 400 freestyle relay teams will also look to take home gold for a second straight year.
Wagner
With seven of the conference’s top-times to their name, the Wagner Seahawks look to be a serious threat coming into the 2012 Championship. Recording the top times in the 400 and 800 freestyle as well as the 200 medley relay, Wagner also holds the standard in both the 100 fly and 200 free thanks to Meredith Ketchmark (Plainsboro, NJ/West Windsor-Plainsboro). Also having a successful season is Breanne Sweeney (State Island, NY/Notre Dame Academy) who posted school records in the 100 and 200 backstroke events this season. Her 200 backstroke time (2:04.65) is the league’s best mark. Distance specialist Alexandra Cooney (Port Jervis, NY/Minisink Valley) has also been solid in 2012 while freshman diver Mallory Lee (Newark, CA/Moreau Catholic) has had a stellar freshman year on the boards, taking home NEC Diver of the Week honors five times.