Skyhawks picked seventh in NE10 Pre-Championships Coaches' poll

NE10 Championships Central

NE10 Women's Swimming Pre-Championships Poll

Conley will be among the first three Skyhawks in the NE10 Championships pool when she competes in the 500-yard freestyle on Friday (PHOTO BY Bob Blanchard)

EASTON, Mass. (February 17, 2022) – The Stonehill College women's swimming team will create more program history this weekend as it makes its first appearance at the Northeast-10 Conference Swimming & Diving Championships, hosted by Southern Connecticut State University at Hutchinson Natatorium, Thursday through Sunday.

Due to COVID-19 protocols, spectators will not be permitted to attend the Championships this weekend, but fans can follow all the swimming and diving action by watching every morning and evening session on NE10NOW.tv. Every morning and evening session will be streamed live and will also be available for free on demand each night. In addition to watching online, NE10 NOW viewers will also be able to watch the action live on their televisions through Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV and Roku.

Stonehill has been picked to finish seventh out of the nine women's programs competing at the Championships this weekend according to the NE10's Pre-Championships poll the league released this week. The Skyhawks collected 21 points in the poll which is topped by Bentley University (59 points), with four first place votes, followed by Southern Connecticut State University (57) in second with three first place votes and then Assumption University (51) in third with the two remaining first place votes. Stonehill is just six points behind sixth place Pace University (27) in the poll and ahead of both Adelphi University (16) and Saint Michael's College (14).

Bentley has been picked to win its first NE10 women's swimming and diving championship in which 13-time champions, and host, Southern Connecticut State is the defending champ from 2020 the last time the Championships were held. The Owls have won three of the last four titles since Assumption University won three-straight from 2014-2016. SCSU won the first ten championships from 2004 through 2013. 

Gobora is the No. 2 seed for the 200IM on Friday (PHOTO BY Jan Volk/SportsPix)

Friday, February 18 – NE10 Championships Day Two

Prelims – 9:45 AM

Stonehill Entries
500-yard Freestyle
200-yard Individual Medley
50-yard Freestyle  

Finals – 6 PM

Stonehill Entries
200-yard Freestyle Relay
500-yard Freestyle*
200-yard Individual Medley*
50-yard Freestyle*
400-yard Medley Relay

*pending prelim results 

While the 2022 Championships get underway in New Haven, Connecticut, on Thursday (1 PM), Stonehill will make its official NE10 Championships debut on Friday morning with three entries in the 500-yard freestyle. Junior Nika Sokolova, sophomore captain Maddie Conley and freshman Julie Mastroianni are entered in the event and will have the honors of officially entering the Skyhawks into the championships. Conley is seeded 11^th in the event with her time of 5:29.65 from the ECAC Winter Championships back in December. Sokolova (5:41.88) and Mastroianni (5:45.90) are seeded 21^st and 22^nd in the field of 33 entries for the event.

Freshmen Sofiya Gobora and Sharlotte Lundell are both seeded in the top ten for the 200-yard individual medley, while junior Maggie Timmoney, sophomore Katie Keating and freshman Jami Hepburn are entered in the 50-yard freestyle to wrap up Stonehill's events on Friday morning. Gobora is the No. 2 seed for the 200IM with her personal-best time of 2:14.54 at the ECAC Winter Championships in December, while Lundell is seeded ninth (2:17.38). Hepburn is the Skyhawks top-seeded entry in the 50-free at 17^th out of 54 entries overall, with her time of 26.08-seconds from the ECAC Winter Championships.

Stonehill has two 200-yard freestyle relays and two entries for the 400-yard medley relay, in addition to any morning qualifiers, in Friday night's finals. The Skyhawks are seeded fourth (1:42.10) and seventh (1:44.21) in the 200-free relay and second (4:02.01) and sixth (4:11.03) in the 400-medley relay. 

Stockwell enters the NE10 Championships with a team-high 12 individual wins and will get her weekend started Saturday morning (PHOTO BY Bob Blanchard)

Saturday, February 19 – NE10 Championships Day Three

Prelims – 9:45 AM

Stonehill Entries
100-yard Butterfly
200-yard Freestyle
100-yard Breaststroke
100-yard Backstroke

Finals – 5:30 PM

Stonehill Entries
100-yard Butterfly*
200-yard Freestyle*
100-yard Breaststroke*
100-yard Backstroke*
200-yard Medley Relay

*pending prelim results

Sophomore captain Sydney Stockwell will make her NE10 Championships debut as the No. 2 seed for the 100-yard butterfly on Saturday with her time of 59.33-seconds at the ECAC Winter Championships. Keating is seeded sixth in the event (1:00.75 – ECAC Winter Championships). Mastroianni (2:06.20) and Timmoney (2:17.36) will swim in the 200-yard freestyle on Saturday as well.

Stonehill has two top five seeds for the 100-yard breaststroke this weekend, which will enter the pool on Saturday morning. Hepburn owns the top seed in the event with her time of 1:06.18 at the ECAC Championships, while Lundell is seeded fourth at 1:10.31 from the ECAC Championships. Three Skyhawks are seeded in the top 11, including two more top fives, for the 100-yard backstroke. Stockwell is seeded No. 3 with her time of 59.91-seconds from the ECAC's, while Gobora is seeded fifth (1:00.04) and Sokolova 11^th (1:02.04).

Rounding out Stonehill's entries on Saturday will be a pair of 200-yard medley relays that will conclude Saturday night's finals. The Skyhawks are seeded sixth (1:54.79) and eighth (1:55.20) for the event.

Hepburn is a high seed for both breaststroke events this weekend, including the No. 1 seed for the 100. (PHOTO BY Bob Blanchard)

Sunday, February 20 – NE10 Championships Day Four

Prelims – 9:45 AM

Stonehill Entries
200-yard Backstroke
100-yard Freestyle
200-yard Breaststroke
200-yard Butterfly   

Finals – 6 PM

Stonehill Entries
1650-yard Freestyle**
200-yard Backstroke*
100-yard Freestyle*
200-yard Breaststroke*
200-yard Butterfly*
400-yard Freestyle Relay

**start time to be finalized Saturday
*pending prelim results

The final day of the 2022 Championships will be another busy one for Stonehill starting with the 200-yard backstroke with two Skyhawks seeded in the top five. Gobora is ranked No. 3 for the event heading into the weekend with her personal-best time of 2:09.76 from the ECAC Winter Championships, while Stockwell is seeded fifth at 2:10.91 from ECAC's. Sokolova (2:15.32) rounds out the Stonehill entries in the event.