AMERICA EAST CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Thursday, February 13 – Sunday, February 16
- WPI Sports and Recreation Center, Worcester, MA (Eastern Time Zone)
- Defending Champion: UMBC Men (4x) & UMBC Women (1x) (results)
- Results (Day 2)
- Live Video
- Championship Central
The 2020 America East Championships continued tonight with finals of the 500 free, 200 IM, 50 free, and 200 free relay. The New Hampshire women have taken the lead by over 100 points, with defending champion UMBC 109 points back in 3rd. Binghamton is currently just a few points ahead of UMBC. If they’re able to come up with a runner-up finish, it would be a big improvement on their 5th place finish since last season.
New Hampshire’s Anna Metzler took down the America East Record in the 500 free, dropping nearly 2 seconds in 4:46.95. That cleared the former record by over a second and gives her a 2nd-straight title. That’s Metzler’s 2nd America East Record in as many days. Last night, she dropped 3 seconds in the 200 free to set the record on the leadoff of the winning 800 free relay. New Hampshire swept the medal spots in tonight’s 500, as freshmen Jamy Lum (4:51.16) and Audrey Tirrell (4:58.25) rounded out the top 3.
Following Metzler’s swim, Corinne Carbone gave New Hampshire their 4th-straight swimming event win in the 200 IM. She was 3 seconds ahead of the field, winning in 2:00.13. She was just a couple of tenths shy of a lifetime best and earned her 3rd-straight title.
Notably, New Hampshire earned as many (or more) points in tonight’s session (240) as every other team has in total. The only other team to win an individual event on night 2 was Maine, as Emma Blair took the 50 free in a lifetime best 23.47. Vermont won the 200 free relay (1:35.13), with 50 free runner-up Sierra Sexton leading off in 23.77.
The UMBC men lead the way as they vie for a 5th-straight title, sweeping all 4 swimming events, but Binghamton is still within striking range as they’re only 49 points behind. UMBC swept the top 5 in the 500 free, led by Kai Wisner (4:27.66), Garrett Wlochowski (4:29.67), and Matt Bennici (4:30.08). Though the title remains with UMBC, the 1st and 2nd place finishers from last season were flipped, as Wlochowski had beaten Wisner for the 2019 title. Bennici repeats as the bronze medalist. This was Wisner’s first best time in the event since 2018 and a drop of almost 3 seconds.
They went 1-2 again in the 200 IM as Luka Zuric (1:49.10) broke 1:50 for the first time, winning ahead of Jimmy Dwyer (1:50.57). Ilia Rattsev toyed with the 20-barrier in the 50 free, repeating as champion in 20.04 to come up less than 2 tenths shy of his own America East Record. Teammate Tiago Asakawa came in shortly behind with a 20.20, repeating as silver medalist. Both men returned to help UMBC to a 200 free relay title in 1:21.35. Asakawa led off in 20.40, while Rattsev had the only sub-20 split of the field with a 19.74 anchor.
TEAM SCORES THROUGH DAY 2 – WOMEN
- New Hampshire, University of 345
- Binghamton University 240
- Umbc Swimming & Diving 236
- Vermont, University of 230
- Maine, University of, Orono 189
- Stony Brook University 98
- Virginia Military Institute 78
TEAM SCORES THROUGH DAY 2 – MEN
- Umbc Swimming & Diving 359
- Binghamton University 310
- Maine, University of, Orono 188
- Virginia Military Institute 156
