Feb. 26, 2005

Results

Fairfax, Va. - The UNC Wilmington men and George Mason women captured their fourth consecutive CAA Swimming & Diving Championships Saturday after four exciting days of competition at the Jim McKay Natatorium on the campus of George Mason University.

George Mason edged Towson in what was the closest meet in the 20-year history of the championship. The Patriots edged Towson 583-581 to claim its fourth straight team title. On the men's side, UNC Wilmington scored 680 points over the four-day event for its fourth team title in a row while George Mason was runner-up with 635 total points.

The UNC Wilmington women took third with 576.60 points followed by William & Mary (502), James Madison (341.50), Davidson (274), College of Charleston (224), Old Dominion (213), Delaware (201) and Drexel (140).

Old Dominion's men's team claimed third place with 536.50 total points while Drexel was fourth with 391 points. Towson was fifth with 353.50 points and William & Mary and James Madison finished in a tie for sixth place with 297 points. Davidson (181), College of Charleston (165) and Delaware (114) rounded out the team scoring.

Towson's Jennifer Irby was the women's most outstanding swimmer for the 2005 CAA Championship. Men's most outstanding swimmer honors went to George Mason's Tom Koucheravy.

George Mason's Mary Campioli was named the women's most outstanding diver while UNC Wilmington's Dean Berman was the men's most outstanding diver.

Pat Mead of Towson was named the women's swimming coach of the year and Old Dominion's Carol Withus and George Mason's Peter Ward shared men's swimming coach of the year honors.

George Mason's Roland McDonald took women' diving coach of the year honors and UNC Wilmington's Marc Ellington was named the men's diving coach of the year.

Saturday's final events were held in the men's and women's 1,650-freestyle, 200-backstroke, 100-freestyle, 200-breaststroke, 200-butterfly, 400-freestyle relay and the men's three-meter diving event.

Irby claimed the 100-freestyle title for Towson with a CAA meet record time of 49.86. UNC Wilmington's Adam Brenneman took top honors on the men's side in 45.41.

Old Dominion's Lauren Timby was crowned champion in the women's 1,650-freestyle finishing with a time of 17:11.43. Koucheravy set a new CAA meet record time of 15:18.80 to take the title for George Mason on the men's side.

Old Dominion's Beatrice Szilard finished with a time of 2:02.89 to take first place in the women's 200-backstroke. The Monarchs also took the men's title as Patrik Balint finished in 1:48.79.

William & Mary's Kelly Reitz took top honors in the women's 200-breastroke as she finished in 2:18.55. George Mason's David Cooper took the men's title in 2:01.81.

The women's 200-butterfly title went to Delaware's Sara Stephens who finished with a time of 2:03.26. Joe Houchin of George Mason was the men's champion as he clocked a 1:51.50.

Towson set a CAA meet record time of 3:26.41 in the women's 400-freestyle relay. The Tigers' team consisted of Irby, Jessika Kluth, Aly Hunt and Liz Lebherz. UNC Wilmington's team of Brenneman, Eric Boyer, Ben Humphrey and Michael Krayer took the men's 400-freestyle title in 3:02.28.

Berman scored 595.40 points on the men's three-meter diving platform to claim the crown for the Seahawks.

Women's Final Team Scores (4th of 4 Days)

1. George Mason (583) 2. Towson (581) 3. UNC Wilmington (576.50) 4. William & Mary (502) 5. James Madison (341.50) 6. Davidson (274) 7. College of Charleston (224) 8. Old Dominion (213) 9. Delaware (201) 10. Drexel (140)

Total Points: 3,636.00

Men's Final Team Scores (4th of 4 Days)

1. UNC Wilmington (680) 2. George Mason (635) 3. Old Dominion (536.50) 4. Drexel (391) 5. Towson (353.50) T-6. William & Mary (297) T-6. James Madison (297) 8. Davidson (181) 9. College of Charleston (165) 10. Delaware (114)

Total Points: 3,650.00

Awards

Women's Outstanding Swimmer of the CAA Championship: Jennifer Irby, Towson

Men's Outstanding Swimmer of the CAA Championship: Tom Koucheravy, George Mason

Women's Outstanding Diver of the CAA Championship: Mary Campioli, George Mason

Men's Outstanding Diver of the CAA Championship: Dean Berman, UNC Wilmington

Women's Swimming Coach of the Year: Pat Mead, Towson

Men's Swimming Coach of the Year: Carol Withus, Old Dominion & Peter Ward, George Mason

Women's Diving Coach of the Year: Roland McDonald, George Mason

Men's Diving Coach of the Year: Marc Ellington, UNC