UB men's and women's swimming weekly release
Bulls Roll Past Local Rivals at WNY Invite
The University at Buffalo men's and women's swimming and diving teams opening the 2012-13 season on Saturday with the WNY Invite against Big Four rivals Canisius, Niagara and St. Bonaventure. The Bulls won 28 of the 34 events in the non-scoring meet.
Kuras, Rodriguez Propel Women's Squad
In the women's meet, senior Brittney Kuras and sophomore Spencer Rodriguez won three events apiece to lead the Bulls. Kuras, coming off her stellar 2011-12 season which culminated in a spot at the NCAA National Championships, won the 500-yard freestyle in 4:59.48. She later followed with a victory in the 200-yard freestyle in 1:52.66 and also took the 200-yard breaststroke in 2:25.09. Rodriguez claimed both individual medley races, winning the 200-yard IM in 2:08.00 and the 400-yard IM in 4:33.78. She also won the 200-yard breaststroke in 1:06.90.
Culver Hits The Triple
Highlighting the men's competition, junior Eric Culver was a three-event winner Culver swept the distance freestyle races with a 4:44.54 clocking the 500-yard freestyle and claimed the 1,000-yard freestyle in 9:48.35. He also won the 200-yard butterfly in 1:54.48.
Double Winners Abound
Mallory Morrell won both freestyle sprint races in the women's competition as she took the 50-yard freestyle in 23.43 and the 100-yard race in 52.76. Ava Giachino swept the women's diving events with a 283.30 point total on the one-meter board and a total of 258.70 points in the three-meter event. Mike Dugan and Matt Schwippert, both first-team All-MAC honorees last season, were double winners on Saturday. Dugan took the sprint freestyle events, the 50-yard freestyle in 20.76 and the 100-yard freestyle in 46.09. Schwippert swept the backstrokes with a 52.21 in the 100-yard race and a 1:52.12 in the 200-yard event.
Relayers Go Four-for-Four
The Bulls won all four relay races on Saturday. For the UB women, Marissa Murphy, Kelsey Barbour, Taylor Steffl and Morrell combined to take the 200-yard medley relay in 1:47.70. Rachael Ragen, Kuras, Murphy and Alex Swies won the 200-yard freestyle relay in 1:38.04. UB's men also took both relays as Schwippert, Josh Meints, Cory Zorsch and Dugan won the 200-yard medley relay in 1:33.25 and Matt Hogan, Schwippert, Christian Muller and Austin Kowalsky won the 200-yard freestyle relay in 1:26.73.