For Immediate Release: February 16, 2006
Contact: Thomas Moore II (sports@binghamton.edu)
Phone: 607-777-2956

Day 1 of America East Swimming & Diving Championships Complete
Binghamton men's swimmers in second place after first day of competition; women stand tied for sixth place

America East Day 1 Release

BOSTON, Mass.--The Binghamton University men's and women's swimming and diving teams competed in the first day of competition at the America East Championship on Thursday at the Fitness & Recreation Center. The men's team racked up 101 points and trailed only Stony Brook (110). Binghamton is in front of UMBC (92), Boston University (88 points), Maine (86) and New Hampshire (26).

On the women's side, the Bearcats tallied 50 points and trailed New Hampshire (80), UMBC (68), Boston University (62), Maine (60), Stony Brook (58). Binghamton is tied with Vermont (50).

On the men's side, junior Brian Koizim (White Plains, N.Y.), freshman Brenno Varanda (St. Petersburg, Fla.), junior David Holmes (Doncaster, England) and sophomore Kaan Tayla (Ankara, Turkey) won the 200 medley relay (1:32.14) setting a conference, school and pool record. Last season at the conference championships Koizim, Robert Kaczynski, Holmes and Tayla swan the 200 medley relay in 1:32.82, a conference and school record that held until tonight. The quartet finished more than a second and a half faster than the next competitor.

In the 800 free relay, Varanda, freshman Andrew Palumbo (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.), Koizim and senior Wade Rimbach (Essex, England) placed second with a time of 6:55.05. In the one-meter dive freshman Ryan Graham (Vestal, N.Y.) placed fourth (256.10), while sophomore Matthew Russo (Manhattan, N.Y.) finished seventh (198.00).

On the women's side, the 800 free relay team of freshman Heather Jennings (Ridge, N.Y.), sophomore Bridget Dormer (Northport, N.Y.), senior Nicole Fulgieri (New Hyde Park, N.Y.) and freshman Jodi Brown (Hauppauge, N.Y.) finished in 8:10.63 for seventh place. In the 200 free relay, Fulgieri, senior Christine Carroll (Washingtonville, N.Y.) senior Eden Payabyab (College Point, N.Y.) and freshman Aleksandra Grubic (Split, Croatia) touched in 1:51.79 to take sixth place.

The schedule for Friday is slated with prelims at 10 a.m. then finals at 6 p.m.

# EVENT
6 500 Freestyle - Women
7 500 Freestyle - Men
8 200 Individual Medley - Women
9 200 Individual Medley - Men
10 50 Freestyle - Women
11 50 Freestyle - Men
12 Three-Meter Diving (Final) - Women
13 200 Freestyle Relay - Women
14 200 Freestyle Relay - Men