Women's Swimming & Diving Swept at Tri-Meet, DeLucia, Varady Qualify for Diving Regionals

By Jim Fenton

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- Two members of the Bridgewater State University women's swimming & diving team qualified for next month's NCAA Division III Northeast/North Regional Diving Championships Saturday afternoon.

Freshman Sienna DeLucia (Wallingford, Conn.) and sophomore Gianna Varady (Highland Park, N.J.) both won events during a tri-meet at the Dr. Mary Jo Moriarty Swimming Pool.

The Bears were swept by Keene State and Brandeis University in their next-to-last home competition to fall to 1-4. BSU dropped a 157-128 decision to Little East foe Keene State, and lost to Brandeis by a margin of 170-119.

DeLucia was first in the 1-meter diving event with 270.05 points while Varady won the 3-meter diving event with 277.25 points.

They will join BSU senior record-holder Cailey Simard (Haverhill, Mass.), who has already earned a spot at the Northeast/North Regional.

That will take place Feb. 27-28 at Connecticut College. This will be the most divers BSU has had advance to the regionals.

DeLucia was also second in the 3-meter dive with 270.05 points while Varady placed second in the 1-meter dive with 242.90 points.

The Bears had the top three finishers in both diving events.

Junior Ava Anderson (Lynn, Mass.) was third in 1-meter diving (202.55 points) while junior Jillian Hallman (Raynham, Mass.) was third in 3-meter diving with 250.05 points.

The Bears had three other first-place finishers against Keene State and Brandeis.

Senior Ava Fenton (Monument Beach, Mass.) won the 100 backstroke in 1:05.32. She was also second in the 50 backstroke in 31.22 seconds and second in the 50 butterfly in 29.68 seconds.

Sophomore Evangelina Chaves (Raynham, Mass.) took the 100 butterfly in 1:07.47. She placed second in the 100 freestyle in 1:00.75 and was third in the 50 butterfly in 30.03 seconds.

Senior Julie Remson (Norwalk, Conn.) won the 50 backstroke in 30.37 seconds and took third in the 100 breaststroke in 1:17.26.

BSU has another meet this weekend, traveling to Waltham Sunday for a 1 p.m. matchup with Bentley University.