POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (January 23, 2014) – The Vassar women's swimming and diving team will travel to Willimantic, CT to face Eastern Connecticut State and Roger Williams University in a tri-meet on Saturday at 1:00 pm.

Meet Details
Opponents: Eastern Connecticut (5-0), Roger Williams (4-4)
Links: (Eastern Connecticut Women's Swimming Home Page) (Roster) (Schedule)     
            (Roger Williams Women's Swimming Home Page) (Roster) (Schedule)
Site: Willimantic, NY
Facility: Sports Center Pool
Date: January 23
Time: 1:00 pm
 
What to Look For:
Vassar (3-4) is back in action this Saturday a week removed from competing at the Seven Sisters Championships January 17-18. The Brewers will swim their second tri-meet of the year against the Warriors and Hawks, after previous splitting their only other tri-meet with Mount Holyoke and Trinity on January 13.

Last Time Out:
The Vassar women's swimming and diving team completed competition at the Seven Sisters Championships on January 18, finishing third overall with a team score of 693 points. The Brewers tallied 11 lifetime bests on the day, and also broke several school records to highlight an outstanding weekend in the pool. Wellesley College captured victory in 12 of 20 events en route to its 18th straight Seven Sisters Championship title with 1293 points. Mount Holyoke was second with 768 points, Smith College placed fourth overall with 583 points, followed by Bryn Mawr College with 281 points.

A Look at the Warriors (5-0):
Eastern Connecticut is unbeaten head-to-head this season, winning all five of its dual meets since kicking off the season in October. At the Little East Conference Championships in December, the Warriors took second in the field of seven finishing behind only Keene State College.

Head coach Maureen Fahey is in her 19^th season at the helm for Eastern Connecticut, and has been with the program since its inception in 1996. Fahey's 2014-15 squad features a mix of newcomers and veterans, led by seniors Shannen Barnard, Abby Ariso and Katie Dulz. The trio finished with five of the team's six first place finishes against UMASS-Dartmouth on January 17, when the Warriors earned a 153-135 dual meet victory.

A Look at the Hawks (4-4):
Sitting at .500 for the year in dual meets, Roger Williams has seen some of its most success this season in recent weeks, winning back-to-back dual meet the past two weekends against Bridgewater State (194-94) and University of New England (203-58). The Hawks closed out 2014 with a third place finish out of 12 schools at the Gompei Invitational and are 2-2 on the road this season in dual meets.

Head coach Matt Emmert is in his third season at the helm of Roger Williams, and has a fairly large roster in 2014-15 with 27 women listed on the roster. 13 freshmen joined the ranks of Roger Williams this year, but the Hawks still sport a strong core of upperclassmen led by senior captains Hailey Martel and Stephanie Niman.

Honors on Honors:
Sophomore Julia Cunningham (Yardley, PA/Peddie School) and senior Kelly Wilkinson (Oceanside, CA/Vista) were named the ECAC Division III Upstate Swimmer and Diver (respectively) of the Week in a release made by the organization's offices on January 19. The pair was also named to the Liberty League Team of the Week on Monday after record-setting performances at the Seven Sisters Championships January 17-18. Wilkinson was also named a co-recipient of the Marly Pienda award at the Seven Sisters Championship team banquet on January 17. The "Marly Pineda" award commemorates the life, livelihood and spirit of Marly Pineda, a former Smith College swimmer who passed away in 2008.

Coming Up Next:
The Vassar swimming and diving teams will have one last meet to tune up before the UNYSCSA Championships February 18-21, first competing at the Skidmore College Sprint Invitational next weekend on Saturday, January 31.