Final Stats

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- The Navy swimming teams concluded competition at the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) National Invitational Saturday at Lejeune Hall in Annapolis. The Navy men scored 461 points to win the three-day meet and the Navy women finished in seventh place with 213.5 points.

A total of 22 men's team and 31 women's teams scored points at the championship.

The meet featured swimmers from schools across the country who posted an NCAA B cut qualifying time but did not have a time fast enough to make the national championship. Though there was no diving events contested at the meet, scores from divers who competed at the NCAA Zone Championship were entered into the team scores.

"The story of the meet for us was our performance Saturday," said Navy men's swimming head coach Bill Roberts. "We were down about 115 points Thursday and were able to close the gap a little bit Friday. We swam with a little more consistency and intensity this morning and that set us up well for tonight."

"For the first year participating against this national level competition, our men's and women's team did an awesome job," said Navy women's swimming head coach John Morrison. "Our goal was to finish within the top 10 of the deep 40-team field. To finish seventh with just 11 athletes was well above our expectation. Our goal is to be competitive at the national level and this was a big step in that direction. We learned a tremendous amount for next season and had a great weekend of racing."

Billy Cadigan (Fr., Lutherville, Md.) had the highest finish in an individual event for either Navy team as he placed second in the 400 individual medley (3:50.88). Cadigan would also reach the championship final in the 500 freestyle (eighth place, 4:29.83).

Placing third in events for the Mids were Luke Nelson (Jr., Providence, R.I.), in the 1650 free (15:16.18), Micah Oh (Fr., Kent, Ohio) in the 200 fly (1:47.18) and Jamie Miller (So., Rochester Hills, Mich.) in the 200 back (1:55.84).

Several Mids placed fourth in an event, with Luke Johnson's (Fr., Charlotte, N.C.) time of 4:24.21 gave him that showing in the 500 freestyle, which was the first event of the meet. Also placing fourth were Maclean Crossley (Fr., Watertown, N.Y.) in the 50 freestyle (20.62), Daniel Cook (Fr., Virginia Beach, Va.) in the 200 free (1:37.36), Casey Lawson (Jr., Spring Lake Heights, N.J.) in the 200 free (1:47.68), Brayden Lauffer (Jr., Apex, N.C.) in the 100 individual medley (49.82) and Dominick Wallace (Fr., La Jolla, Calif.) in the 200 back (1:45.82).

Miller placed fifth in the 100 back (54.78), Chris Bondarowicz (Fr., Scotch Plains, N.J.) finished in fifth place in the 200 breast (1:59.34), Dean Nguyen (Fr., Seattle, Wash.) took sixth place in the 100 breast (54.89) and Andy MacGregor (So., Grand Rapids, Mich.) touched the wall in sixth place in the 100 free (44.92).

Also for the Mids, Erin Scudder (So., Western Springs, Ill.) placed seventh in the 500 free (4:50.06), Ryan Waters (Fr., Basking Ridge, N.J.) placed seventh in the 1650 free (15:36.97) and Vince Everman (Jr., Philadelphia, Pa.) took seventh place in the 100 IM (50.80).

Rounding out Navy's championship finalists were eighth-place efforts by Scudder in the 200 free (1:48.92), Elyse MacIsaac (So., Stafford, Va.) in the 100 breast (1:02.99), Wallace in the 100 back (49.43), Oh in the 400 IM (4:01.82), Cook in the 100 free (45.30) and Johnson in the 200 breast (2:00.68).

The Navy women also placed fifth in the 400 medley and 800 freestyle relay events, as well as seventh in the 400 free relay. The Navy men saw its 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle relay teams place second, its 200 medley relay place fourth, its 800 freestyle relay team place fifth and its 400 medley relay team place seventh.

"We didn't win an event this week," said Roberts, "but our depth throughout the meet really carried us."

"Jamie Miller led the way with 36 individual points," said Morrison. "Her third-place finish in the final event was our highest overall finish. Erin Scudder, Casey Lawson and Kelly Harrington (So., Boca Raton, Fla.) also had amazing meets. Erin competed in two championship finals and Casey in one. But it took all eleven to put together the relays that earn huge points for our team."

Both Navy teams will be represented by an athlete at the upcoming NCAA Championship. Lauren Barber (Jr., New Wilmington, Pa.) will compete in the 200 individual medley and both breaststroke events at this week's women's championship in Columbus, Ohio, and Bradley Buchter (So., Hickory, N.C.) will compete in both springboard diving events at the March 22-24 men's championship in Minneapolis, Minn.

Women's Top-10 Teams
598.5 - Florida International
483 - Rice
428 - Denver
394 - South Carolina
325 - San Jose State
267 - Boise State
213.5 - Navy
145.5 - George Washington
142 - Richmond
141.5 - Grand Canyon

Men's Top-10 Teams
461 - Navy
444.5 - George Washington
428 - South Carolina
382 - Denver
335 - Incarnate Word
321 - La Salle
297 - Army
252 - Grand Canyon
198.5 - Gardner-Webb
191 - CSU Bakersfield