University of Connecticut Athletics
UConn Cruises Past Fordham and St. John's
10/24/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming and Diving
BRONX, NY – (Oct. 24) Led by three BIG EAST Qualifying times posted by Dustin Rogers, the University of Connecticut’s swimming and diving teams rolled past Fordham and St. John’s on Friday evening in their first team-scored competition of the winter season. The UConn men topped Fordham 230-67 and St. John’s 162-109 while the Husky women defeated the Rams 163-99 and the Red Storm 193-67. UConn swimmers won 21 of the 32 contested events.
Rogers, the defending BIG EAST champion in the 100 butterfly, secured his placed in the event this year by swimming a time of 50.74 to win the event on Friday. Not through for the day, Rogers won two other events in BIG EAST qualifying times. Rogers won the 100 freestyle (46.43) and the 200 freestyle (1:42.70). Bobby Folan was also a BIG EAST qualifier for the Huskies, finishing the 200 backstroke in 1:53.17.
Not to be outdone, on the women’s side junior Cassie Novak posted two BIG EAST qualifying times to capture event crowns. Novak won the 200 backstroke in 2:04.56 and also captured the 500 freestyle in 5:02.21. Ryan Smith will return to the BIG EAST Championships in February in the 100 backstroke where she swam a time of 57.45.
Freshman Jacquelyn Craft showed great form despite her youth, posting a BIG EAST qualifying time of 2:20.14 to comfortably top the field in the 200 breaststroke. She did likewise in the 100 breaststroke which she finished in 1:04.68.
Husky divers took three of the four events. Chase Dunlap took both the one and three meter diving events while Lauren Jacob captured the women’s one meter competition.
The Huskies will return to action on November 1 when they face Villanova in Philadelphia.
