Howard University Sweeps Northeast Conference Championships
Howard University swept the men’s and women’s team titles this past weekend at the Northeast Conference Championships. The Howard men secured their third championship in four years, while the women captured their first conference crown.
Tuesday
Howard’s men and Central Connecticut’s women opened the meet with strong performances on Day One of the Northeast Conference Championships.
Central Connecticut jumped out to the early lead in the women’s standings with a dominant win in the 800 freestyle relay, touching in at 7:23.65 with swimmers Megan Dunnigan, Gabby Spaciano, Addison Kennedy and Maggie Rutledge. Howard claimed first in the 200 medley relay at 1:41.34 with swimmers Chanice Posada, Rhanishka Gibbs, Alyssa Napier and Gabrielle Vickles. The team also finished second in the 800 free relay. Wagner secured third in both relays to remain in the early overall mix.
Defending champion Howard University set the tone in the men’s competition, as Kaleb James, Artyton Moncur, Taj Benton and Mason Green won the 200 medley relay in 1:29.12. LIU’s Mario Poulsen, Leandre Renault, Finn Drysdale and Emilio Garcia delivered the swim of the night with a conference-record 6:35.01 in the 800 free relay.
Wednesday
Howard flipped the women’s standings halfway through the meet, surging past Central Connecticut to take the lead. The Bison dominated the 50 free, where Zuilda Nwaeze captured her third straight title in 22.82, followed by teammate Gibbs with a 23.01. Howard carried that momentum into the 200 free relay, as Nwaeze, Vickles, Zenya Posada, and Jasmine Morgan broke the conference record in 1:31.53. Wagner’s Mia Goodale edged out CCSU’s Rutledge in a close 500 free (4:55.57), while CCSU’s Dunnigan and Addison Kenney led a 1-2 finish in the 200 IM.
On the men’s side, Howard extended its overall lead, closing the night with 361 points. James earned the top spot in the 200 IM at 1:48.75 and Green grabbed a win in the 50 free at 20.17. LIU continued its relay success with Poulsen, Renault, Garcia, and Polat Tasbasi., winning the 200 free relay in 1:20.72, with Howard and Wagner finishing second and third.
Thursday
Howard’s women extended their lead to 41 points over Central Connecticut behind another dominant session. Napier won the 100 fly (54.54), while Nwaeze and Posada secured second and third in the 200 free. Gibbs earned a victory in the 100 breast (1:02.89), and Posada defended her 100 back title, finishing with a 54.51. Howard capped the night with a win in the 400 medley relay in a 3:42.03. Wagner’s Goodale claimed the 200 free (1:49.64) and Saint Francis’ Sara Turner grabbed the 400 IM win in a 4:24.80.
On the men’s side, Howard pushed its point advantage even further. Green led a Howard sweep in the 100 fly with a 47.40, and Bison swimmers Adam Dias, Mark Brown, Benton, and Green rallied for a narrow .05 victory in the 400 medley relay. Le Moyne’s Lucas Clay broke the meet record in the 100 breast (53.58), while LIU swept the 200 free podium and Martin Beitveit won the 100 back in 49.83. Wagner’s Florian Schumich took the 400 IM at 3:58.02.
Friday
Despite a lack of wins on the final day, Howard’s women and men closed the Northeast Conference Championships with an impressive finish.
Howard’s women added one individual and one relay victory on the final night. Nwaeze captured another title in the 100 freestyle in 50.24, finishing just ahead of teammate Posada, who touched in at 50.50. Nwaeze later anchored the 400 free relay alongside Posada, Napier and Gabrielle Vickles, as the quartet posted a meet-record 3:22.45. Central Connecticut claimed several of the remaining individual events, highlighted by Rutledge’s dominant 1650 free win in 17:03.45, while Wagner’s Gaya Savran secured first in the 200 fly with a 2:03.11.
Howard’s men secured the team championship with 859 points, marking their third title in four seasons. While the Bison did not win an event on the final day, Green still earned second in the 200 fly at 1:49.13, and Howard placed third in the 400 free relay. LIU swimmers Poulsen, Renault, Garcia, and Tasbasi capped an impressive meet with a record-setting 400 free relay at 2:56.63. Tasbasi also took a win in the 200 breast. Wagner picked up wins from Nikko Carrillo in the 200 back and 200 fly, while Le Moyne added multiple podium finishes to close the competition.
Women’s Team Standings
- Howard University – 856
- Central Connecticut State University – 837
- Wagner College – 407
- Saint Francis University – 349
- Long Island University – 334
- Stonehill Women’s Swimming – 299
- Le Moyne College – 275
Men’s Team Standings
- Howard University – 859
- Wagner College – 787.6
- Le Moyne College – 684.5
- Long Island University – 576