Photo Courtesy: Atlantic 10 Conference<\/p>\n
NEWPORT NEWS, Virginia, September 24. THE\u00a0St. Bonaventure men and Richmond women\u2019s swimming & diving teams have been selected as the favorites to take home the 2015 Atlantic 10 Swimming & Diving Championships, according to a poll conducted of the league\u2019s head coaches.<\/p>\n
The St. Bonaventure men are in search of their third consecutive A-10 title and sixth A-10 swimming & diving title overall after finishing with a total of 718 points at last year\u2019s championship. This year\u2019s Bona squad is led by juniors Vatslav Lets and Michael Pilyugin, the 2013 and 2014 Atlantic 10 Most Outstanding Performers, respectively, along with junior Viacheslav Shchukin, the 2013 A-10 Most Outstanding Rookie Performer.<\/p>\n
Massachusetts, the A-10 runner-up in 2013 and 2014, has been predicted to finish second this season followed by George Mason and A-10 newcomer, Davidson. La Salle was selected to finish fifth, followed by Saint Louis, George Washington and Fordham.<\/p>\n
Richmond, winners of four consecutive A-10 titles and 12 of the last 13 overall, have been predicted to capture the 2015 A-10 women\u2019s championship. This year\u2019s squad is led by juniors Kelley Yang, the 2013 A-10 Most Outstanding Rookie Performer and record holder in the 100 Fly, and Natalya Ares.<\/p>\n
Fordham, which last won the A-10 title in 2010, was predicted to finish second in this year\u2019s poll. Massachusetts, Davidson and George Mason rounded out the top five, and were followed by Duquesne, La Salle, George Washington, Rhode Island, St. Bonaventure and Saint Louis.<\/p>\n
The 2015 A-10 Men\u2019s and Women\u2019s Swimming & Diving Championships will be held Feb. 18-21 at the SPIRE Institute located in Geneva, Ohio.<\/p>\n