New Haven, Conn. — Freshman standout Raluca Duma (Cluj Napoca, Romania) garnered UB’s first-ever NCAA Division II Swimming & Diving Championship “B” qualifying standard during the second of three sessions at the Nutmeg Invitational at Yale University on Saturday evening. Her 400-yard Individual Medley time of 4:38.73, a new UB Varsity School Record, was under the “B” Standard of 4:42.62. This means she is eligible to swim this event at the 2005 NCAA Division II Swimming & Diving Championships, if she qualifies with an “A” Standard in any event during this season. The “A” Standard in the 400 IM is 4:34.29. With this being UB’s inaugural season, it is the first ever qualifying standard in any swimming event for the Purple Knights. “I’m extremely proud of Raluca’s effort and happy for her to get this mark. Most NCAA Qualifying Standards are made at the end of the season when swimmers are rested and prepared for fast swimming,” remarked UB head coach Brad Flood. “We have been training very hard and to gain this standard at this time in the season only means that we are heading in the right direction. I’m encouraged that she will continue to improve and put herself in a position to represent the University of Bridgeport at the 2005 NCAA Championships in March.”
Duma’s time placed her 7th at the meet, attended by (NCAA Division) Yale (I), UMASS (I), Boston College (I), Fairfield University (I), Central CT (I), Southern CT (II), CW Post (II) and Williams College (III). She placed 8th in the 100-yard Butterfly (1:00.16) and also competed in the 200-yard Individual Medley (2:12.84) and the 200-yard Breaststroke (2:35.15) establishing UB varsity school records in all four events.
Freshman Heather Roman-Green (Woodstock, NY) established a new UB varsity school record of 1:08.41 in the 100-yard Backstroke. Freshman Nevena Vatachka (Bucharest, Romania) competed in the meet as well.
The Purple Knights are back in action at UB’s Wheeler Recreation Center on Saturday, December 11 at 10:30am for their final dual meet of the Fall 2004 semester against LIU-CW Post.