Keene State swim/dive teams open season on Saturday

             KEENE, N.H. 11/4/10 – Keene State College swim teams open their season at the New England Invitational on Saturday.  The swim events, which begin at 1 p.m., will take place at the Upper Valley Aquatic Center in White River Junction, Vt. while the diving events, which start at 11 a.m., will be held at Keene State College.

            The Invitational, which includes teams from Keene State, Middlebury, WPI, Assumption, and Post University, was the brainchild of KSC Coach Jack Fabian and WPI Coach Paul Bennett.

            “We were looking to put together a meet where the swimmers could participate in several races,” said Fabian, the Owls’ sixth-year coach.   “The facility can handle a lot of teams, so we’d like to see the Invitational grow in the years ahead.”

            Fabian said the early season meet will give the swimmers and divers and opportunity to gauge their progress without putting much pressure on them.

            The pool at Spaulding Gym is well stocked with several returning standouts, including All-Americas, junior Jillian Whitaker (Gilford, N.H.) and sophomore Kaila Umbarger (Chelmsford, Mass.) and senior Cody Larrimore (Trappe, MD), an NCAA Championship qualifier.

            Last season, the KSC women’s team not only captured Little East and NEISDA Championships, but also produced the programs’ first All-Americas.  The men’s team had an equally successful season, winning the NEISDA title and qualifying its first swimmer to the NCAA Championships since 1976.

           Fabian says his swimmers and divers are working hard getting ready for the season.  “I’m impressed how everyone is working,” he said.  “I think we should swim well this weekend, but there’s a lot of work that needs to be done.”