Northeast Conference (NEC) – Women
- Wednesday, February 13 – Saturday, February 16
- Nassau County Aquatic Center, East Meadow, NY (Eastern Time Zone)
- Defending Champion: Bryant University (1x) (results)
- Live results
- Live Video
- Championship Central
- Day 1 Recap
- Day 2 Recap
The Bryant winning streak was broken on day 3, however they still maintain a 225.5 point lead over their nearest competitor. After winning all 7 events through the first 2 days of competition, Bryant didn’t have a swimmer in the top 5 of the 400 IM to open day 3 of the meet.
Team Scores Through Day 3:
1. Bryant University 639 2. Central Connecticut State 413.5 3. Wagner College 363.5 4. Saint Francis University 316 5. Liu Brooklyn Blackbirds 256 6. Sacred Heart University 214 7. St. Francis College (New York) 179 8. Mount Saint Mary's 113
Day 3 of the NEC Championships kicked off with an incredible back half leg from Wagner’s Ellie Eastwood in the women’s 400 IM final. While Central’s Aidan Devers and Saint Francis’ Karilyn Quon built a 3-second lead over Eastwood, Eastwood then popped a 1:10.19 breast split to pass up Devers by nearly 4 seconds.
Eastwood became the first non-Bryant winner of the meet with a 4:21.75, knocking 7 seconds off her prelims swim and just missing the NEC record of 4:21.62.. Devers finished in second with a 4:23.73, Quon took third with a 4:24.27.
Sabrina Bowman of Saint Francis kept the momentum moving as she challenged Bryant U’s Elin Svard in the last 50 of the 100 fly. After only 0.04 seconds separating the pair, Bowman pulled away from Svard to take the win with a 54.39. Svard settled for second with a 54.92.
Finishing in third with the fastest 2nd 50 split (29.12) was Central’s Valentine Gomez with a 55.16.
After losing their streak, Bryant U swimmers Jillian Rice and Alyssa DiFiore responded by going a 1-2 finish in the 200 free. Rice led the charge as the only swimmer under 1:50 with a 1:49.84, DiFiore took second in a 1:50.92. Sacred Heart’s Lauren Somers was third with 1:51.83.
Into the 100 breast, another tight battle happened between Byrant U’s Heather Wong and Saint Francis’ Mack Lawson. It all came down to the touch, where Wong had the narrow couple hundredths advantage over Lawson to win with a 1:03.01. Lawson’s second place time was 1:03.09.
Fellow Saint Francis swimmer Raphaelle Gregoire went from 7th to 3rd with her 30.4/32.94 splits to finish in a 1:03.34.
After 2 more Bryant U wins, Central’s Kaitlyn Troy responded when she held off Alaina Scifo to win the 100 back in a 55.14.
Scifo took second with a 55.43. Right behind her was LIU-Brooklyn’s Amanda Peren (55.52).
The 400 medley relay was a show-stopping race, with Bryant U and Central playing musical chairs for the leaders’ spot. Yet the free leg was all down to the touch as the 2 teams were even throughout the final 100 yards. Yet it was Central who had the last hurrah and out-touched Bryant U 3:45.77 to 3:45.94.
Saint Francis took third behind the duo with a 3:49.94.
The concluding session of the meet will take place tomorrow will the 1650 free, 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, 200 fly, and 400 free relay.
