Vermont Women Capture First Ever America East Title, Binghamton Wins Men’s Title

2024 AMERICA EAST SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Wednesday, February 14 – Saturday, February 17, 2024
• VMI Aquatic Center, Lexington, Virginia
• Teams: Binghamton, Bryant, Maine, New Hampshire (women), NJIT (men only), UMBC, Vermont (women), VMI
• Defending Champions:
  • Women: New Hampshire (4x)
  • Men: UMBC (2x)
• Championship Central
• Live Results
• Fan Guide
• Day 1 Recap
• Day 2 Recap
• Day 3 Recap

The Binghamton men won their 2nd conference title in four years while the Vermont women captured their first America East title in program history.

MEN’S RECAP

Bryant’s Leo Luna came in as the top seed in the 1650 free and absolutely crushed his entry time dropping over 24 seconds to swim to a win with a 15:33.17. Luna finished ahead of the rest of the field by over 21 seconds. Binghamton finished 2nd and 3rd to pick up key points.

After setting a conference record in the 50 free on Thursday, Binghamton’s Eli Lanfear won the 100 free tonight touching in a personal best of a 44.02 just ahead of Bryant’s Conner Lofstrom who swam a 44.10. Lanfear led off Binghamton’s winning 400 free relay in a 44.43. The team of Lanfear, Liam Murphy, George Kipshidze, and Liam Preston swam to a 2:57.42 in the win. All four men split below the 45 second mark. Loftstrom had a big split of a 43.85 for Bryant who finished 3rd in the relay.

Binghamton also had a big showing in the 200 fly as they went 1-2 in the event. Grad student Marc Stern led the way in a 1:47.79 ahead of senior Jake Vecchio who touched in a 1:47.84.

NJIT had a strong 200 backstroke as they finished 1-2-4. Laith Sabbah won the event in a 1:44.01 ahead of teammate Samuel Deemer who touched in a 1:45.00.

After breaking the conference record in the 100 breast last night, UMBC’s Daniel Nicusan won the 200 breast in another conference record swimming a 1:55.58. That was a huge best time as his previous best stood at a 1:57.56 from this meet a year ago.

Day 3 Scores:

1. Binghamton 795.5
2. Bryant 709.5
3. UMBC 518
4. NJIT 514.5
5. Maine 376.5
6. VMI 306

WOMEN’S RECAP

Vermont had a lead coming into the final day and kept the momentum going as junior Ella Church won the 1650 freestyle on the first event of the night. Church won in a 16:40.48 to win by almost six seconds.

After winning the 100 fly last night, Hally Laney won the 200 fly in a 2:01.03 to touch ahead of New Hampshire’s Grace Mahon (2:03.02). Laney defended her title as she won last year in a 2:02.42.

The New Hampshire women won three events on the final night. Their first win came from Ella Guilfoil who earned her third individual win of the meet as she won the 200 back in a 1:56.93, winning by over two seconds. That was a best time by almost two seconds. Notably, Guilfoil dropped over three and a half seconds in the event this season.

After winning the 50 free and finishing 2nd in the 100 free last year, Audrey Mahoney of New Hampshire won the 100 free this year touching in a best time of a 50.02. Mahoney was 2nd in the 50 on Thursday night.

Mahoney also helped the team to a win in the 400 free relay. Mahoney led off in a 50.30 and was followed by Abby McKinney, Chiara Pradissitto, and Guilfoil in the win. They touched in a 3:21.97 to break the old conference record of a 3:22.55 set back in 2015 by New Hampshire.

Binghamton earned the breaststroke sweep as Lauren Kuzma won the 200 breast in a 2:16.25. That was a personal best time. Last year, Kuzma was 7th in the event in a 2:23.21.

Day 3 Scores:

1. Vermont 683
2. New Hampshire 671
3. Bryant 635.5
4. UMBC 466
5. Binghamton 439
6. Maine 374.5
7. VMI 126