By Brian Pivonka
While the names may change, the result stayed the same as the Northeastern swimming and diving team won its fifth consecutive America East conference championship last week at the University of Maine. The Huskies outdistanced the University of Maryland-Baltimore County, 765-605.50, to win the title in what turned out to be a more lopsided battle than expected.
“We definitely expected to win the conference championship,” said Northeastern coach Roy Coates. “We thought it would come down to us and UMBC. In analyzing the meet we thought it would come down to about a 20-point difference between the two teams. In the end it was a 160-point difference.”
The event started off with a bang for NU as the 200-yard freestyle relay of Sarah Reddick, Katie Schmaling, Kerby Lewis and Kelly McIssac dominated the opening event, winning by almost two seconds, setting a conference record.
Northeastern swept the Friday relays when Reddick, Schmaling, McIsaac and Katie Kane won the 400-yard medley relay in what Coates called “one of the turning points in the meet.”
“I think we got really excited after we won [the 400 medley],” Reddick said. “It’s always more exciting on relays, you get more pumped up.”
Also, on the first day Jesse Coxson came in third in the 500-yard freestyle and McIssac added another strong performance by winning the 50-yard freestyle in a highly competitive race with teammate Schmaling and another swimmer from UMBC. McIssac and Reddick’s big finish in that event, gave Northeastern some early points with two days still to go.
Saturday started the same way Friday did with Northeastern taking the opening relay as Schmaling, Kane, Reddick and Lewis dominated the 200-yard medley relay, winning by almost a second and a half and setting a new conference record. Lewis and Schmaling were also a part of the winning 800 free relay team that also set a conference record.
According to Coates, the 800-free relay was the “other turning point.”
“I think there were two [turning] points. The end of the first day when we won the 400 medley relay, which UMBC was favored to win; I think continued our great momentum from the first day; which could’ve changed in the last event,” he said. “And the last meet of the second day, the 800 free relay, which UMBC was again expected to win and we won that. Two points where UMBC could’ve regrouped and we did a great job making sure they didn’t get any momentum back.”
The Huskies had such depth that they dominated the relay events, setting the record in all five relays, an impressive accomplishment according to Coates.
“I think the team overall [was outstanding],” Coates said. “We won all the relays in the meet. And in all five we set the conference records, which tells you a lot about the depth of our team. We were allowed to bring 22 athletes in attempt to score points. Out of the 22 athletes, 20 of them scored points. Which is the reason why we win, because we’re so good top to bottom.”
Katie Kane agreed.
“It was us coming together and doing it,” Kane said. “It wasn’t one super swimmer. Most of the teams had one or two superstars while we had 25 good swimmers.”
Adela Gavozdea stole the show in the diving competition, sweeping both the 1-meter and 3-meter events. Gavozdea won the 1-meter by easily outdistancing UNH diver Kristin Carpenter. But that was nothing compared to her domination of the 3-meter event, which Gavozdea won by over 40 points, making her the easy choice for Most Outstanding Diver.
The two victories also increased her winning streak to 10 straight events.
“Dea’s just an amazing competitor,” Coates said. “We kind of bank on her and the other divers to do their part, which is [to] be the best divers in the conference; and Dea’s leading the way. It’s always comforting knowing we have the best diver in the conference and Dea always steps up and does what she’s supposed to do.”
But Gavozdea wasn’t the only one who took home an award as both the Northeastern swimming and diving coaching staffs won the Most Outstanding Coaches awards for their respective events.
