Patriot League Championships, Day Four

ANNAPOLIS, Maryland, February 18. ANOTHER impressive performance by the Navy swimming and diving teams closed out the final day of the 2012 Patriot League Championship that came to an end Saturday at Lejeune Hall in Annapolis. The two Navy programs set a league record by combining to win 33 of the 40 event titles on their way to comfortably winning both team crowns by several hundred points.

The Navy women's team set a meet record by scoring 933.5 points (previous record was 877 set by Navy two years ago) over the three-day meet to defeat second-place and defending champion Colgate by 241 points. The victory was Navy's second title won in the last three years, third in the last five years and league-record 11th championship overall.

"It is hard to put into words," said Navy women's swimming head coach John Morrison. "There is a lot of emotion right now. The team has worked hard for this for a full year, devoted a lot of time and effort for this and to have it come out with the performance we did from everybody was exciting. Just the overall dedication to the team, the selfless giving to one another; I go back to Alex Lundgren wanting to swim this week for her teammates with pretty much a torn hamstring, Kellie Darmody having to take the last two weeks off due to being sick but still swimming with the heart of a champion, and everyone else on the team from top to bottom. That's what this team was about.

"It also was another great performance by our men's team, and all of us with the women's team congratulate Bill, his assistant, Chris Maiello, and all of the guys. Sometimes being the favorite can be difficult because everyone is gunning for you. But they readily accept that challenge every year and keep building upon their success instead of resting on their laurels."

The Navy men's squad set a record by winning all 18 swimming events in accruing 1,029.5 points at the championship. That point tally, which ranks fourth in league history (Navy has scored 1,031.5, 1,047 and 1,056 points at the 2009, ‘10 and ‘11 meets, respectively), gave Navy a 391-point margin of victory over second-place Bucknell. Navy has now won the Patriot League title in each of the nine seasons it has competed at the meet.

"It sounds cliche, but we always aim high," said Navy men's swimming head coach Bill Roberts. "We try to have the guys challenge ourselves. But you still have to go out and actually do it. It is awfully exciting to see the guys come through here after their races."

"I would be remiss if I did not congratulate John, assistant coach Rob Lias and the entire women's team. You could see the hard work they were putting into this season, and it really paid off for them this week. They won some amazing races that had the place jumping, and our guys fed off of what they were doing the last few days."

The previous record for combined victories by one program at a Patriot League Championship was 30, which was set by Navy two seasons ago.

Navy also garnered the majority of the major individual awards presented at the conclusion of the championship. Justin Vagts and Laura Gorinski were named as the league's swimmers of the year, Ange Sawick was tabbed as the women's rookie of the year and Courtney Vandament garnered the women's diver-of-the-year accolade. Additionally, John Morrison was tabbed as the league's women's swimming coach of the year and Bill Roberts earned the men's swimming coach-of-the-year laurel.

"Justin is a great example of what we try to graduate here at Navy," said Roberts. "He is a good student, good kid, and in the pool has a model work ethic. I am very happy for him."

"Everybody this entire season has worked incredibly hard to achieve something like this," said Vagts. "Everybody knows who we have to step up for. Having the entire team behind everyone in every single race really helped us."

"Last year (a second-place finish) was hard to swallow for us," said Gorinski. "We started making changes the very next week after last year's meet. It drove us for the entire season. And to come out with a meet like this where everyone had amazing swims, we're beyond happy."

"Laura is such a competitor," said Morrison. "She has such a drive to excel. You could see her take off when she hit the water this week. It was fun to watch."

"This was a great way for Courtney to cap her career," said Navy diving coach Joe Suriano. "She has steadily improved from her freshman year and it was very nice to see her have such success in this, her last Patriot League meet."

The above article is a press release submitted to Swimming World Magazine. It has been posted in its entirety without editing. Swimming World offers all outlets the chance to reach our audience by contacting us at Newsmaster@swimmingworldmagazine.com. However, Swimming World reserves the right to choose what material is posted.

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