SIX RECORDS FALL AT DAY TWO OF CHAMPIONSHIPS

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The Regis College men's and women's swimming and diving teams competed in the second day of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) championships Friday at the United States Naval Academy.

The Pride had a strong showing on day two of prelims, breaking two school records in the first race of the day. The 200 medley relay team of Kiet Luong (Malden, Mass.), Bryan Johnson (Sudbury, Mass.), Nick Rainville (Reading, Mass.) and Cassidy Bastianelli (Newton, Mass.) touched in at 1:35.72, beating the old record by almost 3 seconds, earning them a spot in finals. The first leg of the relay was also a record time by Luong, splitting a 23.62 in the 50 backstroke. Sophomore swimmer Nick Rainville swam his first individual event of the weekend with a personal best time in the 100 butterfly clocking in at 52.06. His teammate and current school record holder in the event, Kiet Luong, secured a spot in finals with a time of 49.86.

Junior captain Cassidy Bastianelli kept the momentum going for the pride in the 200 freestyle by lowering his school record to 1:43.04. Bryan Johnson posted a personal best time in the 100 breaststroke with time of 1:00.83. The prelim session ended with Luong posting a time 50.92 in the 100 backstroke which was good enough for the finals.

For the Pride women, freshman Amanda Graf (Newton, Mass.) and sophomore Jessica Higgins (Peabody, Mass.) had strong showings in the 100 backstroke. Graf touched in at a 1:00.82 and Higgins hit the wall with a personal best time of 59.76. Higgins is back in action tomorrow with the 200 backstroke.

With the finals session underway, the Pride men lowered the record they set earlier in the day in the 200 medley relay, finishing with a time of 1:34.62, almost 4 seconds faster than the previous record. Luong lowered the record he set in prelims touching in at 23.23 in the backstroke leg, followed by Bryan Johnson, posting 27.13 in the breaststroke. Nicholas Rainville touched in at 23.35 in the butterfly and Cassidy Bastianelli blazed through the water of the freestyle leg with a time of 20.91.

Next up was the 100 butterfly where Kiet Luong lowered his time from prelims earning him a NCAA B qualifying time at 49.56. Ending the day with the 100 Backstroke Luong broke the school record he set yesterday in the 400 medley relay clocking in with another NCAA B qualifying time of 50.10.

The Pride return to action tomorrow for the final day of the championships.

Release Courtesy of Sydney Tribou, Assistant Swimming & Diving Coach