Big East Championships (Men’s and Women’s)
- Wednesday, February 22 – Saturday, February 25, 2023
- Nassau Aquatic Center, East Meadow, NY
- Defending Champions:
- Women: Villanova (9x)
- Men: Georgetown (1x)
- Live Results
- Live Video
- Championship Central
- Fan Guide
- Day 2 Recap
Yesterday was the 3rd day of racing at the 2023 Big East Championships. Last night’s schedule featured the finals of the 400 IM, 100 fly, 200 free, 100 breast, 100 back, men’s 3-meter diving, and the 400 medley relay.
The Villanova women continued to extend their lead in the team standings. With 1031 points, they hold the top spot by a 202.5-point margin. The race for 2nd is tightening up between UConn and Georgetown, who are separated by just 7 points heading into the last day.
The men’s meet remains close, but the defending champions hold a slight advantage. Georgetown leads with 564 points, while Xavier and Seton Hall are close behind at 528.5 and 517.5 points, respectively.
Women’s Team Scores Through Day 3:
- Villanova – 1031
- Connecticut – 828.5
- Georgetown – 807.5
- Xavier – 640
- Seton Hall – 635
- Butler – 413
- Providence – 242
Men’s Team Scores Through Day 3:
- Georgetown – 564
- Xavier – 528.5
- Seton Hall – 517.5
- Villanova – 316
- Providence – 249
Georgetown’s Erin Hood kicked things off with a victory for the Hoyas in the 400 IM. She recorded a new personal best time and program record of 4:14.78 to win the event by nearly 2 seconds. Niamh Hofland from Connecticut touched 2nd (4:16.64), while Villanova’s Kaitlin Gravell finished 3rd (4:16.98).
Xavier swept the top three spots of the men’s 400 IM, led by junior Jack Parker. Parker shaved a few tenths off his personal best from this meet last year to record a final time of 3:50.16. Nathan Wall and Michael Benington finished 2nd (3:52.97) and 3rd (3:53.18), with both of them posting personal bests also.
Georgetown’s Angelica Reali chased down her teammate Bella Wylie to win the 100 fly. The freshman trailed Wylie by over a tenth at the halfway point, but came back two-tenths quicker to touch 1st at 53.89. Wylie finished 2nd (53.94), while Connecticut freshman Ella Epes took 3rd (54.32).
The men’s 100 fly was also won by a freshman. Seton Hall’s Michael Klimaszewski stopped the clock in a new program record time of 46.82. Georgetown senior Michael Baldini was less than half a second behind at 47.15.
Seton Hall kept the momentum up for the women’s 200 free, as junior Natalie Heim recorded a new program record en route to her victory. She clocked a 1:48.00, exactly second ahead of the rest of the field.
After winning the 500 last night, Xavier senior Andrew Martin secured his 2nd individual victory in the 200 free. Martin swam a 1:36.65, about half a second faster than Seton Hall freshman Kevin Cary (1:37.05).
The 100 breast was a battle between Villanova freshman Winnie Jalet and senior Maggie Kleinsmith. Jalet got out to an early lead at the 50, splitting a 29.17 to Kleinsmith’s 29.32. The senior made a late push down the stretch, but Jalet ultimately got her hand on the wall first at 1:02.13. Kleinsmith took 2nd at 1:02.21, while Angela Gambardella took 3rd (1:02.98). The men’s race belonged to Xavier sophomore Ethan Saunders, who recorded a personal best time of 53.70. This is his 2nd-straight Big East title in the event.
Villanova’s Audrey Pastorek took home her 2nd individual Big East title of the weekend in the 100 back. The junior clocked a personal best time of 53.97, winning the event by over a second. Seton Hall senior Ross Pantano led the way for the men, as he won in a season best time of 48.14.
Quinn Murtha from Seton Hall completed his diving sweep with a win in the 3-meter event. Murtha topped the field with 613.80 points in finals.
The 400 medley relay was battled out between Villanova and UConn on the women’s side. Villanova’s team of Pastorek (54.63), Jalet (1:02.55), Katie White (54.65), and Lexi Elkovitch (50.30) got their hand on the wall first with a 3:42.13. Half a second behind them was Connecticut, who recorded a 3:42.76.
Seton Hall’s team of Pantano (48.56), Ben Endersby (54.43), Klimaszewski (46.12), and Cary (43.98) dominated the men’s race to win with a 3:13.09. Their closest competitor was Georgetown, who secured 2nd with a 3:15.16.
