2022 CAA Champs: W&M Women, UNCW Men, Establish Early Leads On Day One

s2022 Colonial Athletic Association Championships

• February 16-19, 2022
• Christiansburg Aquatic Center, Christiansburg, VA
• Championship Central 
• Results on Meet Mobile as “2022 CAA Swimming and Diving Championship”

The 2022 Colonial Athletic Association Championships got underway today at the Christiansburg Aquatic Center. The conference returned to its traditional, pre-NCAA schedule after moving the meet until after the NCAA Championships last season.

On the women’s side, the James Madison Dukes were the defending champions, but they are out of the meet this after announcing they’d be moving to the Sun Belt Conference.

On the men’s side, Towson is looking to defend its title. Last year, the Tigers snapped William & Mary’s six-year winning streak in the wake of W&M announcing that its team would be cut, and then eventually reinstated.

Women’s Recap

The William & Mary women took an early lead after sweeping the two relays on the first night of competition.

In the opening event, the 200 medley relay, Anna Kenna got the the Tribe out in front with a 25.58 leadoff leg, then Annie Tuttle (28.18), Corinne Davenport (24.89) and Missy Cundiff (21.69) combined for a 1:40.34. That same quartets won in 1:40.58 last season.

UNCW took the lead during the fly leg, thanks to a 23.92 split from Reece Alexander, but Cundiff’s anchor leg meant that the Seahawks had to settle for a 2nd place time of 1:40.62.

It was a tight race, as Drexel took 3rd in 1:41,01, followed by Delaware (1:41.87) and Towson (1:42.02). Northeastern DQ’d due to an early take off by the anchor leg.

It was a similar story in the 800 free. Katie Stevenson (1:47.15) put the Tribe in the lead early, and they still were in front after a 1:51.07 leg by Grace Tramack. UCNW got a 1:48.21 from Brooke Knisely, then took the lead on the third leg after a 1:51.20 from Tink Niebel and a 1:50.11 from Sarah Rogillio. But W&M’s Elizabeth Intihar anchored in 1:47.12 to UNCW’s Gracie Steelhammer‘s 1:50.89, and W&M won 7:16.64 to 7:20.41.

W&M was over four seconds faster than they were in last year’s victory, while UNCW’s time tonight would have won last year.

Again, Delaware (7:21.57), Drexel (7:22.10) and Towson (7:22.83) finished fairly close, while Northeastern touched in 7:32.67.

Score After Day 1:

1. W&M – 80
2. UNCW – 68
3. Drexel/Delawre – 62
4. (tie)
5. Towson – 56
6. Northeastern – 26

Men’s Recap

The defending champions, the UNCW Seahawks, also swept the first two swimming events of the meet on the opening night.

In the 200 medley, Drexel took an early lead after Nikita Timoshenko led off in 21.47, while Delaware (22.37), UNCW (22.38), and Towson (22.38) had nearly identical backstroke legs.

Ultimately, UNCW put together a strong backhalf with a 20.77 fly split from Henderson Louviere and a 19.32 anchor leg from E’Likai Crompton-English, winning in 1:26.43.

Towson took 2nd in 1:26.64, followed by Delaware (1:27.11), Drexel (1:27.61) and W&M (1:28.21).

Not too long after, Louiviere led off UNCW’s 800 free relay, and he put up the fastest leadoff leg with a 1:37.07. Jacob Duracinksy also got under 1:38 with a 1:37.67, then Sam O’Brien (1:38.28) and Kenneth Lowe (1:38.58) secured the win, stopping the clock in 6:31.60.

Towson’s Michael Fazio had the fastest overall split with a 1:36.60 on the Tigers’ third leg, helping them to another runner-up finish with a time of 6:33.66.

Delaware rounded out the top three with a 6:37.28, followed by William & Mary (6:38.47) and Drexel (6:41.66).

UNCW also hauled in the points in the 1m diving event, as Nicholas News won with a score of 308.20, and two other Seahawks scored as well.

Scores After Day 1:

1. UNCW – 131
2. Drexel – 107
3. Towson/Delaware – 86
4. (tie)
5. William & Mary – 58