Edison, NJ – Brad Reeser of Loyola University was selected as the MAAC Men’s Swimmer of the Week, while Rider University’s Kellyanne Tomasula won the women’s award. Marist College’s Brian Bolstad was named the Men’s Diver of the Week, while Rider’s Amanda Burke earned Women’s Diver of the Week honors.
Reeser, a senior from Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, won three individual events and was on a winning relay, leading the Greyhounds to a 165-123 victory over Towson on Saturday afternoon. Reeser anchored the winning 200-yard medley relay team, a foursome that swam a time of 1:35.61 to open the meet with a victory. He then touched the wall first in all three sprint events, starting his individual program with a time of 21.47 in the 50-yard freestyle. Reeser then was victorious in the 100-yard freestyle (47.19) and 200-yard freestyle (1:43.16).
Tomasula, a senior from Sussex, New Jersey, won the 100 backstroke (57.06), 200 IM (2:09.69) and 200 backstroke (2:03.45) in a dual meet against Central Connecticut at the College Conference Carnival hosted by Rutgers. Overall, she was fourth of 13 in the 100 backstroke. The 100 backstroke winner was All-American Hannah Whitehead (56.56) of Minnesota. Tomasula was third of 13 overall in the 200 backstroke, behind Whitehead and Cat Whetstone of Rutgers, a two-time NCAA qualifier who competed at the Olympic trials. She was fourth of 15 swimmers in 200 IM. Conference champions Minnesota (Big 10), UMBC (America East), Richmond (Colonial Athletic), Central Connecticut (Northeast) and Rider (MAAC) competed as defending conference champions along with the host Scarlet Knights from the BIG EAST.
Bolstad, a junior from Highland, New York, set his third school record in two weeks as he bested his previous mark off the 1-meter board with a mark of 322.87. He surpassed his old record, 319.50, which was set eight days earlier at Southern Connecticut. In addition to his record-breaking performance off the 1-meter board, Bolstad remained an unblemished 9-0 in 3-meter diving, as he won the event with 298.50 points, as the Red Foxes hosted the UMBC Retrievers on Sunday. He has now won six straight MAAC Men’s Diver of the Week awards.
Burke, a senior from Southampton, Pennsylvania, won the one-meter (336.75) and three-meter (314.70) in a dual meet with Central Connecticut at the College Conference Carnival. Overall, Burke placed second out of 10 divers in both dives, second only to Kelci Bryant of Minnesota (394.45 in 3-meter; 344.50 1-meter). Last summer Bryant was fourth in the three-meter at the Beijing Olympics. Burke was just 7.25 points behind Bryant in the 1-meter.
The 2010 MAAC Swimming and Diving Championships will be held February 11-13 at Loyola University in Baltimore, Maryland.
By: MAAC Sports
