2023 NEC Women's Swimming & Diving Championship

Purchase Tickets Here

EASTON, MASS. (February 20, 2023) – The Stonehill College women's swimming team will be competing in the 2023 Northeast Conference Women's Swimming & Diving Championship meet at the Spire Institute Pool in Geneva, Ohio from February 21-25. The team will be history as one of the first Skyhawk teams to be competing in the NEC Championships since the switch to division one, with multiple athletes competing and looking to make a splash at the championships.

Head Coach Matthew Distler speaks on what the team will be expecting at this week's championship meet:

"We did get our first taste of real D1 competition at the ECAC championships, and I think that showed us that we got to compete against some of the NEC schools there, so I think we know what to expect going in a little bit more this time and I think we're really excited about the opportunities that we have to compete at this level… It feels pretty good to have the opportunity for us to get to be one of the first teams to get to compete at this level and I think that even though we are still growing as a program, we're going to be able to show that we do belong in this conference and that we can be very competitive in this conference right off the bat"

The Skyhawks finish their regular season with a 3-7 overall record, and a 1-3 conference record. The teams competing in this week's meet include CCSU, Howard, LIU, Merrimack, Sacred Heart, St. Francis Brooklyn, Saint Francis U, and Wagner.

Although the relays are not seeded very high in the conference, the team looks to make their first championship meet count, as there is always an opportunity to go up in the rankings and plenty of room for growth as the program ages.

Junior captain Sydney Stockwell (Hopkinton, N.H. / Hopkinton) will be competing in the backstroke, butterfly, and individual medley, and spoke on how she feels going into the NEC Championships:

"It feels great being a part of the inaugural D1 swim team at Stonehill going to NECs and knowing that I am part of history. The energy has been electric leading up to the meet. We are all having great swims at practice that show we are ready for this championship. I can feel we are going to see some great performances and many new team records. My expectations for this meet are just that everyone has fun and lets it happen. Great swims come when you aren't worried or overthinking about them. I just want everyone to enjoy this time with their teammates and pump each other up to keep the energy high all week."

Sophomore Jami Hepburn (Nassau, Bahamas / AESA Prep International) looks to make her mark at the championship meet and will be competing in the breaststroke event. She shares her thoughts and feelings about the historic event:

"It's an honor to be part of a new D1 team and I'm very excited to be competing in our debut year at the NEC Championship. For me, the energy leading up to the meet has been pretty neutral but as the start of the competition approaches I'm gradually getting more excited for it. My expectations for this meet aren't enormous, just to enjoy myself and swim as fast as I can."

Tuesday, February 21 – NEC Championships Day 1 

Timed Finals – 6 PM
800-yard freestyle relay—two heats  "B" then "A"  

• The best time record in the 800-yard freestyle relay for the Skyhawks this season is the relay team Barry, Gobora, Koser, and Sokolova with a time of 8:04.12 at the ECAC Winter Championships.

Wednesday, February 22 – NEC Championships Day 2

Prelims – 10 AM
500-yard freestyle
200-yard individual medley
50-yard freestyle

Finals – 6 PM
500-yard freestyle
200-yard individual medley
50-yard freestyle
200-yard medley relay "B" then "A"

The best time recorded for the Skyhawks in each of these events this season: 

• 500-yard freestyle: Junior Maddie Conley (North Providence, R.I. / La Salle Academy) (5:29.65) at the ECAC Winter Championships.
• 200-yard individual medley: Freshman Kristy Barry (Ellsworth, Maine / Ellsworth HS) (2:13.11) at the ECAC Winter Championships.
• 50-yard: Senior Sydney Stockwell (Hopkinton, N.H. / Hopkinton) (25.29) at the ECAC Winter Championships.
• 200-yard medley relay: Stockwell, Belanger, Lundell, and Nelson (1:49.40) at the ECAC Winter Championships.

Thursday, February 23 – NEC Championships Day 3

Prelims – 10 AM

400-yard individual medley
100-yard butterfly
200-yard freestyle

Finals – 6 PM

400-yard individual medley
100-yard butterfly
200-yard freestyle 

200-yard free relay "B" then "A"

The best time recorded for the Skyhawks in each of these events this season: 

• 400-yard IM: Sophomore Sofiya Gobora (Sarasota, Fla. / Pine View School) (4:45.11) at the ECAC Winter Championships.
• 100-yard butterfly: Sophomore Sharlotte Lundell (Bourne, Mass. / Sturgis East Charter School) (1:00.7) at the ECAC Winter Championships.
• 200-yard freestyle: Kristy Barry (1:59.80) at the ECAC Winter Championships.
• 200-yard free relay: Stockwell, Belanger, Hepburn, and Nelson (1:41.98) at the ECAC Winter Championships.

Friday, February 24 – NEC Championships Day 4

Prelims – 10 AM

200-yard butterfly

100-yard backstroke

100-yard breaststroke

Finals – 6 PM

200-yard butterfly

100-yard backstroke

100-yard breaststroke

400-yard medley relay "B" then "A"

The best time recorded for the Skyhawks in each of these events this season: 

• 200-yard butterfly: Freshman Azia Koser (Janesville, WI. / Milton HS) (2:14.91) at the ECAC Winter Championships.
• 100-yard backstroke: Sydney Stockwell (57.98) at the ECAC Winter Championships. 
• 100-yard breaststroke: Jami Hepburn (1:06.74) at the ECAC Winter Championships.
• 400-yard medley relay: Barry, Hepburn, Keating, and Karuzis (4:00.81) at the ECAC Winter Championships.

Saturday, February 25 – NEC Championships Day 5

Prelims – 10 AM

100-yard freestyle

200-yard backstroke

200-yard breaststroke

Finals – 6 PM

1,650-yard freestyle

100-yard freestyle

200-yard backstroke

200-yard breaststroke

400-yard freestyle relay

The best time recorded for the Skyhawks in each of these events this season: 

• 1,650-yard freestyle: Azia Koser (18:44.73) at the ECAC Winter Championships.
• 100-yard freestyle: Sydney Stockwell (54.76) at the ECAC Winter Championships.
• 200-yard backstroke: Sydney Stockwell (2:07.08) at the ECAC Winter Championships.
• 200-yard breaststroke: Jami Hepburn (1:06.74) at the ECAC Winter Championships.
• 400-yard freestyle relay: Stockwell, Karuzis, Nelson, and Koser (3:42.29) at the ECAC Winter Championships.

Head Coach Matthew Distler finishes his thoughts by recapping the potential high-scoring performances of some of the swimmers competing:

"I'm super excited about our opportunities to score at night, not only does Syd have a top 20 time, but we have a ton of other people that have top 20 times in the conference season that'll be in a position to potentially score; Taylor, Belanger, Kristy Barry, and Azia Koser all have opportunities in the top 20 to score. We also have Jami Hepburn who's coming back and is currently in 16th in a couple of events in breaststroke as well"

Up Next

Stonehill starts competing tomorrow morning and afternoon, at the 2023 Northeast Conference Women's Swimming & Diving Championship meet at the Spire Institute Pool in Geneva, Ohio from February 21-25.

For the latest on Stonehill Athletics, follow the Skyhawks via social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Fans can also download the Stonehill Skyhawks "Front Row" mobile app, powered by PrestoSports, on iTunes and the Android Market.

Headline Photo Credit: RJB Sports