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KSC women swimmers looking to continue LEC streak; Men to compete at ECAC meet
KEENE, N.H. 12/1/10 – A few years back, Keene State swim coach Jack Fabian found a way to use the many discarded kickboards scattered around the deck at the Spaulding Gym pool.
Returning to Keene after capturing his first Little East women’s swimming championship in 2006, the Owls’ fourth-year coach began a new tradition by having his athletes sign and decorate a kickboard to commemorate their victory. A week before the next LEC meet, the kickboard is hung over the door leading from the locker room to the pool. Team members touch the board before and after every practice to remind them of the task at hand – to win another conference crown.
“We already have a stack of kickboards with their names on it,” said Fabian. “Hopefully, we can add to the pile on Saturday.”
Keene State will join seven other teams competing in the 10th annual Little East Women’s and diving Championships at the Tripp Center Natatorium on the campus of UMass-Dartmouth on Saturday (11 a.m.). In addition to the five LEC schools that sponsor the sport (Keene State, Plymouth State, UMass-Dartmouth, Eastern Conn. and Western Conn.), the championship field will also include Bridgewater and Westfield State this year.
Keene State, which claimed its fourth consecutive and seventh overall conference title in 2009, has a tough act to follow. Last season, the Owls set 12 championship records en route to sweeping all 16 events to break the 500-point barrier (535) in the final team standings.
Despite losing three senior All-Americans (Krissy Trutor, Alea Paddock, and Jackie Foster), Fabian feels the Owls have what it takes to capture a fifth consecutive championship. “We’re swimming well, but we have several freshmen who will be competing in the meet for the first time,” he said. “We have to be ready. Other teams want to beat us. We have big bull’s-eye on our backs.”
The Owls will be led by a group of LEC veterans that include juniors Maureen O’Leary (Nashua, N.H.) and Jillian Whitaker (Gilford, N.H.) and sophomore Kaila Umbarger (Chelmsford, Mass.). Last year, O’Leary posted school records winning the 100 and 200 fly while Whitaker, a returning All-American, put her name on the KSC record board by taking the 100 free. Umbarger, who earned All-America honors as a freshman, had a terrific LEC meet, winning the 50 free with an NCAA provisional qualifying time and anchoring a pair of victorious relays.
“We’ve been training very hard and I’m excited to see how everyone does,” said Whitaker. “Winning the meet again would be very rewarding.”
Several first-year swimmers could also be a factor including Stephanie Murray (Haverhill, Mass) and Chelsea Nolan (Lowell, Mass.) in freestyle and Lianna Wissman (Orleans, Mass.) in backstroke races. Senior Rachel Battis (Beacon Falls, Conn.), who won both one and three meter events last year, and freshman Amber Beam (Keene, N.H.) will handle diving chores for the Owls.
Fans unable to make the trip to North Dartmouth, Mass., can watch a live video-stream of all 16 championship events, as well as the championship awards presentation on LittleEast.tv. The conference office will also post the official results and a full recap on LittleEast.com at the conclusion of the meet.
While the Owl women will be in the hunt for their fifth straight LEC title, the Keene State men’s team will be competing at the three-day ECAC Division III Championships that begin Friday at Nassau County Aquatics Center in East Meadow, N.Y. Keene State will be looking to improve on last year's performance when they finished third (1,089 points) and set several school records. “The guys should have a good meet,” said Fabian. “A couple of school records could go down.”
KSC will be led by senior Connor Pennoyer (Norwalk, Conn.). Pennoyer won the 50 free, placed second in the 100 free and was a member of the winning 200 medley relay team at last year’s championship.
Several Owl freshmen including Drew Ledwith (Keene, N.H.) are looking forward to their first regional meet. “I hope I can continue to drop my times and win a few races, said Ledwith, who has already set three Keene State records this season. “It’s a great chance for us to make a name for ourselves in the region.”
