Swimming & Diving Picked 4th in A-10 Preseason Poll
9/24/2014 12:07:00 PM | Men's Swimming & Diving, Women's Swimming & Diving
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Atlantic 10 coaches are expecting inaugural challenges from both the men's and women's Davidson swimming & diving teams. Both squads were picked to finish fourth at the 2015 A-10 Swimming & Diving Championships in a preseason poll of A-10 coaches announced Wednesday by the league office.
Davidson is joining the A-10 from the Coastal Collegiate Swimming Association, where the men's team placed third and the women fourth last season.
The St. Bonaventure men and Richmond women were selected as the favorites to take home the title.
"I feel certain that both squads will have competitive significance at this year's A-10 Championship Meet, and for both teams to be picked fourth indicates to me that the conference coaches agree with that assessment," said head coach John Young. "While finish order is difficult to predict, there will be a group of schools fighting for the spots behind Richmond [women] and Saint Bonaventure [men], and I hope our performances put us in that mix. Wherever we finish, I look forward to a competitive and spirited championship that offers our athletes an opportunity to represent Davidson proudly."
Davidson opens its season Friday, Oct. 3, with the two-day NC Collegiate Kick-Off in Greensboro, N.C. The Wildcats return NCAA "B" cut performances as senior Dylan Ludwick returns for the men, and sophomores Elise Lankiewicz and Katy Williams return for the women.
The St. Bonaventure men are in search of their third consecutive A-10 title and sixth A-10 swimming & diving title overall after finishing with a total of 718 points at last year's championship. This year's Bona squad is led by juniors Vatslav Lets and Michael Pilyugin, the 2013 and 2014 Atlantic 10 Most Outstanding Performers, respectively, along with junior Viacheslav Shchukin, the 2013 A-10 Most Outstanding Rookie Performer.
Massachusetts, the A-10 runner-up in 2013 and 2014, has been predicted to finish second this season followed by George Mason. Behind Davidson, La Salle was selected to finish fifth, followed by Saint Louis, George Washington and Fordham.
On the women's side, Richmond has won four consecutive A-10 titles and 12 of the last 13 overall. This year's squad is led by juniors Kelley Yang, the 2013 A-10 Most Outstanding Rookie Performer and record holder in the 100 Fly, and Natalya Ares.
Fordham, which last won the A-10 title in 2010, was predicted to finish second in this year's poll. Massachusetts, Davidson and George Mason rounded out the top five, and were followed by Duquesne, La Salle, George Washington, Rhode Island, St. Bonaventure and Saint Louis.
The 2015 A-10 Men's and Women's Swimming & Diving Championships will be held Feb. 18-21 at the SPIRE Institute located in Geneva, Ohio.
2015 Men's Swimming & Diving Predicted Order of Finish
(2014 Conference Championship Finish)
1. St. Bonaventure (1st)
2. Massachusetts (2nd)
3. George Mason (3rd)
4. Davidson (3rd CCSA)
5. La Salle (4th)
6. Saint Louis (5th)
7. George Washington (6th)
8. Fordham (7th)
2015 Women's Swimming & Diving Predicted Order of Finish
(2014 Conference Championship Finish)
1. Richmond (1st)
2. Fordham (2nd)
3. Massachusetts (3rd)
4. Davidson (4th CCSA)
5. George Mason (4th)
6. Duquesne (5th)
7. La Salle (6th)
8. George Washington (8th)
9. Rhode Island (7th)
10. St. Bonaventure (9th)
11. Saint Louis (10th)
Davidson is joining the A-10 from the Coastal Collegiate Swimming Association, where the men's team placed third and the women fourth last season.
The St. Bonaventure men and Richmond women were selected as the favorites to take home the title.
"I feel certain that both squads will have competitive significance at this year's A-10 Championship Meet, and for both teams to be picked fourth indicates to me that the conference coaches agree with that assessment," said head coach John Young. "While finish order is difficult to predict, there will be a group of schools fighting for the spots behind Richmond [women] and Saint Bonaventure [men], and I hope our performances put us in that mix. Wherever we finish, I look forward to a competitive and spirited championship that offers our athletes an opportunity to represent Davidson proudly."
Davidson opens its season Friday, Oct. 3, with the two-day NC Collegiate Kick-Off in Greensboro, N.C. The Wildcats return NCAA "B" cut performances as senior Dylan Ludwick returns for the men, and sophomores Elise Lankiewicz and Katy Williams return for the women.
The St. Bonaventure men are in search of their third consecutive A-10 title and sixth A-10 swimming & diving title overall after finishing with a total of 718 points at last year's championship. This year's Bona squad is led by juniors Vatslav Lets and Michael Pilyugin, the 2013 and 2014 Atlantic 10 Most Outstanding Performers, respectively, along with junior Viacheslav Shchukin, the 2013 A-10 Most Outstanding Rookie Performer.
Massachusetts, the A-10 runner-up in 2013 and 2014, has been predicted to finish second this season followed by George Mason. Behind Davidson, La Salle was selected to finish fifth, followed by Saint Louis, George Washington and Fordham.
On the women's side, Richmond has won four consecutive A-10 titles and 12 of the last 13 overall. This year's squad is led by juniors Kelley Yang, the 2013 A-10 Most Outstanding Rookie Performer and record holder in the 100 Fly, and Natalya Ares.
Fordham, which last won the A-10 title in 2010, was predicted to finish second in this year's poll. Massachusetts, Davidson and George Mason rounded out the top five, and were followed by Duquesne, La Salle, George Washington, Rhode Island, St. Bonaventure and Saint Louis.
The 2015 A-10 Men's and Women's Swimming & Diving Championships will be held Feb. 18-21 at the SPIRE Institute located in Geneva, Ohio.
2015 Men's Swimming & Diving Predicted Order of Finish
(2014 Conference Championship Finish)
1. St. Bonaventure (1st)
2. Massachusetts (2nd)
3. George Mason (3rd)
4. Davidson (3rd CCSA)
5. La Salle (4th)
6. Saint Louis (5th)
7. George Washington (6th)
8. Fordham (7th)
2015 Women's Swimming & Diving Predicted Order of Finish
(2014 Conference Championship Finish)
1. Richmond (1st)
2. Fordham (2nd)
3. Massachusetts (3rd)
4. Davidson (4th CCSA)
5. George Mason (4th)
6. Duquesne (5th)
7. La Salle (6th)
8. George Washington (8th)
9. Rhode Island (7th)
10. St. Bonaventure (9th)
11. Saint Louis (10th)
Players Mentioned
Fly/Free
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Freestyle
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
Breast
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