Red Flash Swimming Picked to Finish Second in NEC
LORETTO, Pa. (Oct. 28, 2008) – The Saint Francis swim team has been picked to finish second in the league in a poll released by the Northeast Conference last week. The poll, released on Tuesday, is voted on by the head coaches.
After earning a best-ever second-place finish at last year’s NEC Championship meet, the Red Flash enter the 2008-09 season gunning to take the crown. This year’s roster is comprised of a host of swimmers who put forth steady performances at the league event last season, including all-NEC second team honoree Melissa Heintz (Boyertown, PA/Oley Valley), who returns for her sophomore campaign after posting a second-place time of 54.17 in the 100 free last year.
Junior Kristen Low (Mississauga, Ontario/Cawthra Park S.S.) is also back after producing third-and fifth-place finishes in the 400 IM (4:39.36) and 200 IM (2:13.46), respectively, as a sophomore.
Junior Elyse Peterman (Lock Haven, PA/Central Mountain) and senior Katie Snyder (Dayton, OH/Butler) look to make waves in the 100 breaststroke this coming season after taking third and fourth, respectively, at the championship event a year ago.
Senior Cara Morgan (Lancaster, PA/Hempfield) claimed fifth place in the 1650 freestyle race as a junior with a time of 17:46.08. The Red Flash also features an array of returning swimmers who comprise a strong relay contingent that hopes to match the success of last year’s squad.
The team also received another honor recently. On October 21, the College Swim Coaches Association of America announced its Division I All-American Teams, with the Red Flash swim team ranking 21st in the nation among women’s teams with an average GPA of 3.39.
Yale University, under the direction of head coach Frank Keefe, ranked first with a GPA of 3.60. Dartmouth College is first for combined programs with a GPA of 3.58 and also ranked first for men’s programs, with a 3.6 GPA.
The Flash, who are 1-0 this season after defeating Cleveland State 106-99, will travel to Lewisburg to compete against Bucknell and Duquesne on Saturday, November 1.