2024 NORTHEAST CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS
- February 20-24, 2024
- Spire Aquatic Center, Geneva, Ohio
- Short Course Yards
- Meet Website (Women)
- Meet Website (Men)
- Livestream
- Results
- Defending Champions
- Women: CCSU (x7)
- Men: Howard (x1)
The Howard men retained their spot atop of the team standings, while defending women’s champions CCSU moved into the lead on Day 3 of the NEC Championships.
The 3rd finals session was highlighted by a meet record in the men’s 100 butterfly by Wagner’s Jasu Ovaskanien. After breaking Mark-Anthony Beckles’ 2023 meet record of 48.33 with his 47.48 in prelims, Ovaskanien dropped a massive swim in finals to post another meet record of 46.92, earning himself an NCAA B-cut in the process. Notably, runner-up Taj Benton from Howard also dipped under the previous meet record with his time of 48.05. Another Wagner swimmer, Kaan Nalcaci, finished 3rd with a time of 48.47.
LIU saw two individual event winners on night 3 on the men’s side. In the men’s 400 IM, Daniel Chocano Fernandez held off Wager’s Russel Gavino to touch first in a time of 3:58.95. Gavino himself managed to come into the wall with a time of 4:00.07, with Howard’s Luke-Kennedy Thompson rounding out the podium in 4:01.38. LIU’s other winner was Emilio Garcia, who took first in the men’s 200 freestyle by 1.5 seconds. Garcia touched first in a time of 1:38.80, dropping almost 2 seconds from his prelims time. Wagner’s Ruber Van Gool took second with a time of 1:40.08, also dropping 2 seconds from prelims, while Howard’s Tai Afrik touched 3rd in a time of 1:41.08.
Howard earned the school’s first relay victory of the weekend via a first place finish in the men’s 200 freestyle relay. The team of Arion Solomon, Spencer Miles, Tristan Stevena, and Benton combined for a time of 1:21.09 to finish a half second ahead of Wagner (1:21.61). Howard saw 2 of their swimmers split under 20 seconds on the relay as Miles dropped a 19.94 on the second leg, while Benton anchored the race in a 19.76. Wagner’s Enrico Mancardo also dipped under 20 seconds on the anchor leg with a 19.96 split. LIU finished 3rd in the race with a time of 1:22.13.
On the diving boards, Le Moyne saw its first victory of the meet as Patrick Scott led the men’s 1M event with a commanding score of 275.45, nearly 20 points ahead of runner-up Jordan Walker from Howard (255.90). Walker previously won the 3M diving event on day 1 of competition.
On the women’s side, CCSU utilized its depth to make a move on Howard in the points race, moving nearly 100 points ahead of Howard after sitting in second after day 2.
CCSU got off to a quick start in the session with Gabi Wroblewski claiming the first event of the night via the 400 IM. Wroblewski led the race from start to finish to take a commanding victory over the field with a time of 4:24.38. Her nearest competitor, St. Francis’ Sara Turner touched 2nd with a time of 4:28.83, only .01 ahead of Wagner’s Bree Andreson (4:28.84).
LIU’s Allie Bashor claimed the top spot in the women’s 100 butterfly with a time of 55.66, coming in a half second ahead of the field. CCSU’s Cassidy Stotler finished 2nd in a time of 56.12, while Wagner’s Rachael Harris rounded-out the podium with a time of 56.42, nearly a second faster than her time from prelims.
CCSU’s depth was most apparent in the women’s 200 freestyle, where the team had 3 swimmers in the A-final. The race was won by Howard’s Zuzu Nwaeze, who touched in a time of 1:48.08, almost 2 seconds clear of the field. She was followed by Wagner’s Olivia Bishop (1:49.92), who touched just ahead of CCSU’s Shannon Welcome (1:50.28). CCSU also had the 6th and 8th-placed swimmers in the race, giving the team a huge boost in points.
Howard also won the women’s 200 freestyle relay with the team of Nwaeze, Jasmine Morgan, Michaela Spears, and Kelsey Roberson combining for a time of 1:32.60 to drop nearly 4 seconds off of their seed time. The team was led by Nwaeze, who dropped a massive 22.82 on the first leg, just off of the 22.74 that she posted to set the meet record in the 50 freestyle on day 2. In a close race for second, St. Francis managed to hold off CCSU by .03, with the two schools posting times of 1:35.26 and 1:25.29, respectively.
With 2 days left of competition, Howard maintains its lead in the men’s points race, though Wagner is still lurking only 60 points behind. Meanwhile, the women’s team race is still a toss-up between Howard and CCSU.
Team Rankings Through Day 3 – Men
- Howard –502.5
- Wagner – 444
- Long Island – 307.5
- Le Moyne – 237
Team Rankings Through Day 3 – Women
- CCSU – 752.5
- Howard – 628
- Wagner – 542.5
- St. Francis – 533.5
- Sacred Heart – 489
- Long Island – 386
- Stonehill – 183.5
- Merrimack – 177
- Le Moyne – 156
