Day 4 Results | Final Results
EAST MEADOW, N.Y. – The Villanova women secured their sixth consecutive title, while Xavier was crowned as the men’s winner of the 2019 BIG EAST Swimming and Diving Championships presented by Jeep. The Wildcats were dominant throughout the entire competition on the women’s side, dropping only one race all week. The Musketeers battled back and forth with Georgetown as the men’s title was decided on the final day.
Villanova collected 1,007.5 points in the victory, 345.5 points over runners-up Xavier with 662 points which secured its best finish since joining the conference. The margin of victory was much less on the men’s side as Xavier edged Georgetown by just 35.5 points. The Musketeers posted 779.5 points versus the Hoyas’ 744 points to secure their fourth overall BIG EAST championship. Xavier men won the title from 2014-16. Georgetown placed runner up for the fifth time in six years.
Hoya Drew Carbone was named the Most Outstanding Swimmer of the meet on the men’s side for a second consecutive year, while Villanova’s Kelly Montesi won the Women’s Most Outstanding Swimmer award. Two Wildcats were selected as the Most Outstanding Divers of the competition. For the men, Michael Perra picked up his second straight honor, and Bridie Dunn won the women’s accolade after each athlete prevailed in both diving events.
The Women’s Swimming Coaching Staff of the Year went to Villanova for a second year in a row. The Swimming Coaching Staff of the Year for the men was won by Georgetown. Marc Van Dyken was named the Women’s Diving Coach of the Year for the Hoyas, while Villanova’s Todd Michael earned his second straight Men’s Diving Coach of the Year honor.
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The 1,650 freestyle started off the Saturday evening finals as Villanova’s Nicole Welch made it a distance sweep after winning the 500 freestyle on Thursday. She clocked in at 16:35.21 for the gold. Georgetown’s Cristina Barrett was the silver medalist in 16:42.33, while Wildcat Emily Provenzo grabbed the bronze with a time of 16:57.43. Michael Wheeler was victorious on the men’s side, coming in at 15:19.18 for the Hoyas. Villanova’s John Davidson and Noah Chernik were the next fastest finishers in the mile race at 15:43.21 and 15:47.44, respectively.
Darby Goodwin collected her second career sweep of the competition as the senior won the 200 backstroke for the fourth straight year. She touched the wall just under two minutes at 1:59.09. Musketeer Caroline Gaertner was the runner up in 2:00.15, while Eve Mauze of Georgetown clocked in just three one hundredths of a second behind at 2:00.18. Carbone picked up his third individual event victory of the meet, this time in the men’s 200 backstroke with an NCAA B-cut time of 1:43.77. He also defended his title in this race from a year ago. Villanova’s Justin Cucchi was second in a B-cut time of 1:44.91, and in third was Nathan Runyon of Xavier in 1:45.93.
In the women’s 100 freestyle, Wildcat Alexandra Fabbri secured her third consecutive victory in the event with a time of 49.86. Her teammate Taylor Wilson was second and barely out-touched Xavier’s Emily Conners by a one hundredth of a second in a time of 50.00 versus Conners’ 50.01. Seton Hall’s Dakota Williams made it three in a row on the men’s side in the 100 freestyle. He won this year in a time of 44.21, ahead of two Musketeers. Samuel Johanns was the runner up in 44.81 and David Bunnell captured third in 45.26.
Villanova’s Rayann Jaryszak claimed the 200 breaststroke title after taking the 100 breaststroke crown. She registered a 2:18.41 ahead of Hoya Alexandra Rieker, who was timed at 2:19.57. Alexa Kolodgie of Seton Hall was the bronze medalist at 2:19.66. The men’s 200 breaststroke saw Pirate Josh Tosoni repeat as the champion with a time well under two minutes at 1:58.72. Xavier’s Matthew Dyer came in second at 2:00.11, while another Musketeer in Cameron Weese grabbed third place in 2:00.84.
Kelly Montesi won her second individual event of the meet by taking the top spot in the 200 butterfly. She was timed under two minutes at 1:58.60 for an NCAA B-cut. Her teammate Elise Pidutti went 2:00.38, which was good for second. Taylor Hogan of Xavier was third in 2:01.79. Musketeer Landon Clark won the gold in the men’s 200 butterfly, clocking in at 1:49.20, just ahead of Liam Cosgrove of Seton Hall who registered a 1:49.34. Pirate Ben Puglessi found the wall third in 1:50.26.
Bridie Dunn swept the women’s diving events after she was victorious on the low board. The Wildcat scored 532.00 points to secure the win on 1-meter over Elizabeth Miller of Georgetown who put up 522.45 points. Hoya Margaret Barnhorst tallied 513.55 points which placed her third overall.
The Wildcats wrapped up the championships with a convincing win in the women’s 400 freestyle relay. The team of Fabbri, Goodwin, Millie Routledge and Wilson together went 3:20.05 for the gold. Xavier picked up the silver medal in 3:23.49 and the bronze went to Georgetown in 3:27.18. An exciting finish to the men’s competition saw Xavier take it all when they touched first, just ahead of Georgetown. The Musketeer group of Johanns, Christian Thomas, Brandon Abboud and Bunnell combined to go 3:00.24, while the Hoyas clocked in at 3:00.97. Seton Hall claimed the bronze in 3:03.06.
Major Awards
Women’s Most Outstanding Swimmer – Kelly Montesi, VU
Men’s Most Outstanding Swimmer – Drew Carbone, GU
Women’s Most Outstanding Diver – Bridie Dunn, VU
Men’s Most Outstanding Diver – Michael Perra, VU
Women’s Swimming Coaching Staff of the Year – Villanova (Rick Simpson, Head Coach)
Men’s Swimming Coaching Staff of the Year – Georgetown (Jack Leavitt, Head Coach)
Women’s Diving Coach of the Year – Marc Van Dyken, GU
Men’s Diving Coach of the Year – Todd Michael, VU
Final Team Standings
WOMEN
1. Villanova 1,007.5 pts.
2. Xavier 662
3. Georgetown 643.5
4. Seton Hall 427
5. Butler 232
6. Providence 220
MEN
1. Xavier 779.5 pts.
2. Georgetown 744
3. Seton Hall 660
4. Villanova 585.5
5. Providence 227