BIDDEFORD, Maine – The Regis College swimming and diving teams opened the 2019-20 season by defeating University of New England, with the women earning a 142-118 victory and the men cruising to a 126-67 win Saturday afternoon at the Campus Center Pool.
The Pride women won 10 events, starting with the quartet of Sarah Leonard (Brockton, Mass.), Julia Burke (North Andover, Mass.), Alexa Lancisi (Milford, Mass.), and Kyleigh Boatwright (Roseville, Calif.) finishing first in the 200 medley relay in 1:58.03. Leonard was the top individual performer for Regis with three more victories, touching the wall first in the 50 backstroke in 28.87 seconds, the 50 freestyle in 26.72 seconds, and the 100 backstroke in 1:05.27.
Three other Regis swimmers earned two individual event victories apiece, including Thalia Bowie (Lexington, Mass.) in the 1000 freestyle in 12:19.62 and the 500 freestyle in 5:59.80. Boatwright won the 200 freestyle in 2:08.78 and the 100 IM in 1:07.17, and Lancisi finished first in the 100 butterfly in 1:05.25 and the 50 butterfly in 29.50 seconds.
Burke finished second in both the 50 breaststroke in 34.31 seconds and the 100 breaststroke in 1:16.98. Boatwright was close to a third victory, finishing second in the 100 freestyle with a time of 58.82 seconds.
Competing against UNE's club men's swim team, the Regis men finished first in nine events, also picking up its first victory in the 200 medley as GianCarlos Banrey (Roslindale, Mass.), Brendan Pike (Weymouth, Mass.), Grant Kollien (Acton, Mass.), and Robert Wood (Cathedral City, Calif.) combined for a winning time of 1:50.08.
Banrey, Pike, and Wood all posted the top times in three individual events each. Banrey touched the wall first in the 50 backstroke in 26.78 seconds, the 50 freestyle in 23.86 seconds, and the 100 backstroke in 1:02.27.
Pike ended up first in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:57.51, the 100 freestyle in 55.64 seconds, and the 100 breaststroke in 1:09.27. Competing in his first collegiate meet, Wood posted the fastest time in the 50 breaststroke in 32.92 seconds, the 500 freestyle in 5:22.37, and the 100 IM in 1:03.84.
Regis (1-0 for both men and women) head to Bristol, R.I., next Saturday, Oct. 19, for the Roger Williams Invitational.