WS&D Heads to BIG EAST Championship

SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. - The Seton Hall women's swimming & diving team has arrived in Indianapolis, Ind. and is set to begin the 2013 BIG EAST Championships this afternoon at the IUPUI Natatorium.

The meet will begin today,Wednesday, February 27 and continue over four consecutive days until team champions are crowned on Saturday, March 2.

The Pirates have sent a cast of 20 qualifiers from a squad that posted a 7-2 dual meet record in 2012-13 to the conference championships.

Junior Kerrie Kolackovsky (Franklin Square, N.Y.) led all SHU swimmers with automatic qualifying times in nine different events during the regular season, pacing a squad that is poised to improve upon last year's 10^th place team finish. She also enters the championship meet ranked among the top-10 in the league in both the 100 and 200-yard breaststroke

Last year, Seton Hall women set two new school relay records at the conference meet. This year's group will be looking to add some more new times to the record board as Kolackovsky and senior Andrea Shuba (Pittsburgh, Pa.) have each broken their own previous school record in an individual event already this season.

The SHU women's program has won five individual BIG EAST championships, four of which belong to Jen Heider. In 1994, Heider won the last of her conference crowns and combined with Carla Stetter to give Seton Hall its first and only pair of champions in the same year. As a team the Pirates finished seventh for four straight years from 1991-95, representing the squad's best all-time finish.

On day one of the conference championships, SHUPirates.com took an in-depth look at the Seton Hall swimmers and divers looking to make their mark in Indy.

QUALIFIERS (20):

Note: All distances referenced measured in yards

KATIE ADAMS
Freshman - Back/Free
Standards Met: 500-free, 100-back, 100-free (B-Cut), 200-free (B-Cut)

Path to Indianapolis: Picked up both automatic qualifying times in a two-day span during preliminaries at the Patriot Invitational...Also met secondary standards in all five 200-free appearances and five of seven swims in the 100-free.

Season Highlights: Swam Pirates' third-fastest 500-free of the season (5:15.30) on day two of Patriot Invitational... Picked up first collegiate win (500-free) in debut against Montclair State...Clocked season-best times in 50 and 100-free at Saint Peter's...Set personal marks in three events at the Patriot Invitational...Finished with seven top-four performances and scored nine occasions

RAE CONGDON
Freshman - Sprint/Fly
Standards Met: 100-free, 200-free, 100-fly, 50-free (B-Cut), 500-free (B-Cut)

Path to Indianapolis: Secured first automatic qualifying time with a second place finish in the 200-free vs. Providence and surpassed conference standards in the 100-free and 100-fly at the Patriot Invitational, all season-best times...Twice came in under secondary cut in 50-free and achieved a provisional time in only 500-free swim of the season (at Bison Invitational, 2/2)

Season Highlights: Posted third-fastest 100-free time on the team this season (54.56) on final day of Patriot Invitational...Part of squad's fastest times of the year in the 200, 400, and 800-free relays...Finished regular season with eight top-four efforts... Captured first victory as a Pirate in the 200-free at Saint Peter's...Clocked season-best times in 50 and 100-free at Saint Peter's...Set personal marks in three events at the Patriot Invitational...Finished with seven top-four performances and scored nine occasions

SARAH DOUGHERTY
Sophomore - Distance
Standards Met: 200-fly, 100-fly (B-Cut), 1,650-free (B-Cut)

Path to Indianapolis: Earned an automatic qualifying time in the 200-fly at the Bison Invitational...Twice met provisional standards in the 100-fly and met secondary standards in the 1,650-free at the Patriot Invitational in the fall

Season Highlights: Clinched a spot at the conference meet with a time of 2:12.55 in the 200-fly at the Bison Invitational, also taking home her first career win...Set a new personal record in the 500-free at the Patriot Invitational...Recorded five top-five finishes, including two in a team victory at Saint Peter's

KATE DWYER
Junior - Freestyle
Standards Met: 200-free, 100-free (B-Cut), 500-free (B-Cut)

Path to Indianapolis: Booked a ticket with a 1:57.98 lead leg in the 800-free relay at the Patriot Invitational...Also made a secondary cut in the 100-free as part of the 400-free relay at Patriot and met provisional standards in final three 500-free swims of season

Season Highlights: Finished third on three separate occasions, scoring four times for The Hall in dual meet competition...Added a top-10 effort in the 200-free at the Loyola Quad Meet...Registered season-best times in all four events she entered over three days at the Patriot Invitational

JANE EHRET
Junior - Fly/IM
Standards Met: 100-fly, 200-fly, 200-IM, 400-IM, 200-free (B-Cut)

Path to Indianapolis: Turned in automatic qualifying times in both butterfly events at Rider, the second meet of the season...Secured a spot in each of the IM events at the Patriot Invitational...Provisional cut in 200-free came in season-opening win against Montclair State

Season Highlights: Holds Pirates' quickest 200-fly time of season (2:06.36, at Rider)...Accounted for team's third-fastest 400-IM mark of regular season with a 4:40.32 at the Patriot Invitational...Recorded five individual victories, including wins in three consecutive 200-fly appearances...Currently has nine top-three efforts to her credit this season...Contributed 14 scoring times throughout the course of the season

KERRIE KOLACKOVSKY
Junior - Breast/Free
Standards Met: 50-free, 200-free, 500-free, 1,650-free, 100-fly, 100-breast, 200-breast, 200-IM, 400-IM

Path to Indianapolis: Collected automatic qualifying times in a team-high nine different events, surpassing conference standards in all but one of 32 eligible individual swims...Qualified during her first appearance in all nine events, starting with the 100-fly and 200-IM in the opener against Montclair State

Season Highlights: Set the Pirates' top mark of the regular season in nine of 10 events she competed in...Broke her own school record in the 100-breast during a win at the Patriot Invitational, one of two victories she posted at the 10-team meet...Finished with 18 total wins during the regular season and only finished outside the top-three on three occasions...Part of the fastest relay teams for SHU in four events so far this year...Three-time SHUPirates.com Athlete of the Week Award winner

GABI LEVINE
RS-Freshman - Fly/Back
Standards Met: 50-free, 100-free, 100-fly, 100-back

Path to Indianapolis: Secured a trip to the conference meet in the 100-fly against Montclair State, her first competition as a Pirate...Followed up with a qualifying time in the 100-free at Rider and came in under 50-free and 100-back standards for the first time at the Patriot Invitational

Season Highlights: Boasts Pirates' best 100-free time to this point in the season (54.19)...Ranks among the top-three on the squad in each of the three other events she has qualified to compete in at BIG EAST...Swam on SHU's top 400-free relay team and anchored fastest 200-free and 400-medley squads of the year...Collected four wins and 14 top-three performances over the course of the regular season

MEGAN MALLON
Freshman - Breaststroke
Standards Met: 100-breast, 200-breast, 50-free (B-Cut)

Path to Indianapolis: Reached the wall with a qualifying time in the 100-breast vs. Montclair State, her first collegiate swim...Closed the fall with an automatic qualifying time in the 200-breast at the Patriot Invitational, after meeting provisional standards in the 50-free during preliminaries  

Season Highlights: Season-best times in 100 and 200-breast rank only behind Kolackovsky for tops on the team...Member of fastest 200-medley relay team of the season...Accumulated three wins (all in 100-breast) and five runner-up finishes as part of 11 scoring efforts

KELLY MARKWELL
Junior - Sprint/Fly
Standards Met: 100-fly, 200-fly, 50-free (B-Cut)

Path to Indianapolis: First met standards in the 100-fly at Rider...Went on to add the 200-fly to her conference meet program during a third-place performance vs. Providence...Achieved a provisional cut in the 50-free during preliminaries at the Patriot Invitational

Season Highlights: One of The Hall's top butterfly threats, her 58.11 effort in the 100-fly at the Patriot Invitational is best on the team to this point in 2012-13...Set a personal record with a time of 2:07.93 in the 200-fly at the Patriot Invitational, the second-fastest time by a Pirate in the event this season...Part of team's top 200 and 400-medley relay efforts of the year...Recorded nine top-five times during the regular season, highlighted by a win in the 100-fly vs. Providence

LEAH MAYER
Freshman - Distance
Standards Met: 200-free, 1,650-free, 200-back, 500-free (B-Cut), 100-back (B-Cut)

Path to Indianapolis: All three automatic qualifying times came at the Patriot Invitational...Started the season with a provisional cut in the 100-back against Montclair State and added another in the 500-free the following meet at Rider, a feat she repeated six times over the season

Season Highlights: Clocked a top-three time on the team in three different events (200-free, 1,000-free, 200-back)...Picked up one win and seven top-threes as part of 15 top-five efforts during the regular season...Swam on Pirates' fastest 800-free relay team of season

CORA MEEHAN
Freshman - Back/Free
Standards Met: 200-free, 100-back, 200-back, 200-IM, 50-free (B-Cut), 100-free (B-Cut), 100-Breast (B-Cut)

Path to Indianapolis: Met qualifying standards in all four events for the first time at the Patriot Invitational...Recorded provisional times in the 100-free in the first and last meets of the regular season while making the secondary cut in her only 50-free and 100-breast swims of the year at the Bison Invitational

Season Highlights: Posted second-fastest times on team in both the 200-free and 200-back...Best 100-back and 200-IM performances also ranked among the top-three on the squad...Anchored fastest 800-free relay time the Pirates have recorded this season (7:44.56)....Turned in 14 top-four performances in her first season swimming for Seton Hall...Was victorious in the 100-free in the season-opening meet against Montclair State and added five runner-up efforts over the course of the season

KELLY MILLER
Freshman - Fly/Back
Standards Met: 100-back, 200-back, 100-fly (B-Cut), 200-fly (B-Cut)

Path to Indianapolis: Achieved an automatic qualifying time in each of the backstroke events during preliminaries at the Patriot Invitational...Provisional times in butterfly events also came at Patriot Invitational

Season Highlights: Took home a win in the 100-back against Montclair State...Contributed six top-five finishes during the regular season...Established personal-best marks in four events at the Patriot Invitational

MEGAN MOSTOLLER
Sophomore - Breast/Sprint
Standards Met: 100-breast, 200-breast, 400-IM, 200-IM (B-Cut)

Path to Indianapolis: Racked up automatic qualifying times in the 100-breast and 400-IM on day two of the Patriot Invitational, followed by another in the 200-breast on day-three...Provisional time in 200-IM came on day one of Patriot Invitational

Season Highlights: Posted top-three times of the season in the 100 and 200-breaststroke...Set a new personal record with a time of 1:08.79 in the 100-breast at the Patriot...Placed in the top-five nine different times, including two runner-up efforts

MARIELLE O'CONNOR
Senior - Backstroke
Standards Met: 100-back, 50-free (B-Cut), 200-back (B-Cut)

Path to Indianapolis: Booked another trip to the BIG EAST Championships with back-to-back qualifying performances in the 100-back at the Patriot Invitational...Also posted provisional marks in the 50-free and 200-back preliminaries at the Patriot Invitational

Season Highlights: Reached the wall in the top-five in five separate individual swims....Posted three top-10 times at the Loyola Quad Meet in the fall

BRENNA O'KEEFE
Senior - Distance/Fly
Standards Met: 500-free, 1,650-free, 100-fly, 200-fly, 400-IM, 200-free (B-Cut), 200-IM (B-Cut)

Path to Indianapolis: Recorded first two automatic qualifying times of the year with a win in the 500-free and a second-place finish in the 200-fly against Providence...Added three more qualifying times at the Patriot Invitational...Provisional time in 200-free came in runner-up performance at Saint Peter's...Met secondary standards in final 200-IM swim of season at Bison Invitational

Season Highlights: Season-best performances in 500, 1,000, and 1,650-free and 400-IM were bested only by Kolackovsky in team rankings...Also finished with third-fastest 200-fly time (2:10.86) on the squad...Four victories were highlighted by a two-victory performance against BIG EAST foe Providence...Scored 15 top-four finishes en route to the conference championship...Set a new personal record in the 500-free (5:07.92) at the Patriot Invitational

KATIE RILEY
Junior - Diving
Standards Met: 1-meter dive, 3-meter dive

Path to Indianapolis: Secured a spot at the BIG EAST Championships in her first attempts from one-meter (vs. Montclair State) and three-meters (at Rider)...Totaled seven automatic qualifying scores for the season

Season Highlights: Set a new personal record from one-meter with a score of 248.48 against Providence, followed by a new career-best 248.70 mark from three-meters in the following meet at Saint Peter's...Score against Providence was Pirates' top performance of the year from one-meter...Took first-place points four different times...Placed among the top-four overall on 10 occasions...SHU's top finisher in nine separate competitions

ALEXA SANTIS
Freshman - Back/Free
Standards Met: 1,650-free, 100-back, 200-back, 100-free (B-Cut), 200-free (B-Cut), 500-free (B-Cut)

Path to Indianapolis: Met automatic qualifying standards in the 100-back on day two of the Patriot Invitational and completed the weekend with two more AQ times in the 1,650-free and 200-back on day three...Provisional cut in 500-free came in season-opener against Montclair State...Closed the fall with another provisional time in her only 200-free swim of the season (at Patriot Invitational) before picking up a third in the 100-free during the spring opener against Marist

Season Highlights: Recorded third-fastest 1,650 free time on team (17:58.32)...Seven top-five finishes featured two runner-up performances

ANDREA SHUBA
Senior - Back/IM
Standards Met: 100-back, 200-back, 100-fly, 200-IM, 200-free (B-Cut)

Path to Indianapolis: Surpassed conference standards in all 22 of her swims in the 100-back, 200-back and 100-fly combined...Added an automatic qualifying mark in the 200-IM at the Patriot Invitational, twice recording an AQ time on day one...Provisional cut in 200-free came in meet vs. Montclair State, her only appearance of the season in the event

Season Highlights: Broke her own school record with a time of 57.64 in the 100-back at the Patriot Invitational...Ranks as SHU's top performer in the 100 and 200-back...Also among the top-three times on the team in the 100-fly and 200-IM...First off the block for the fastest medley relay squads of the year at both 200 and 400 yards...Totaled six victories, four second-place finishes and 14 top-three efforts

GABBY SIGNORELLI
Freshman - Diving
Standards Met: 1-meter dive, 3-meter dive

Path to Indianapolis: Needed just one meet to automatically qualify for the one-meter competition, exceeding standards twice against Montclair State...Added the three-meter to her program with a first-place score of 245.00 at the Loyola Quad Meet...Exceeded conference standards nine times

Season Highlights: Three-meter score of 251.33 at Connecticut was the highest score of the season for an SHU female diver regardless of distance...Took first-place points from both one-meter (at Connecticut) and three-meters (at Loyola Quad Meet)...Finished with 12 top-four scores during the regular season...Scored as the Pirates' top finisher eight times

ALIE ZELENKY
Senior - Breast/Sprint
Standards Met: 50-free, 100-free, 100-back, 100-breast

Path to Indianapolis: Left the Patriot Invitational with automatic qualifying times in the 50-free, 100-free and 100-back...Qualified for the 100-breast with a time of 1:09.27 at the Bison Invitational

Season Highlights: Season-best times in 50 and 100-free rank second on the team...Part of three of the top relay squads on the year (200-free, 400-free, 200-medley)...Took home four wins in the 50-yard freestyle and was consistently SHU's top performer in the event...Established new personal records in the 50-free (24.70) and the 100-free (54.54) at the Patriot Invitational...Totaled 10 top-five finishes during the regular season

The 2013 BIG EAST Championship will get underway with diving events at noon. Action will continue through the night as will be the case throughout the four-day meet.

To visit BIG EAST Championship Central, CLICK HERE

To view a live webcast of the events in progress, visit www.bigeastswimming.com

Live updates will also be available via twitter through @SHUSwim