Women's Swimming & Diving Sweeps Senior Day Tri-Meet

By Jim Fenton

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- Cailey Simard (Haverhill, Mass.) was a double winner in the final home meet of her brilliant career for the Bridgewater State University women's swimming & diving team.

On Senior Day at the Dr. Mary Jo Moriarty Swimming Pool Saturday afternoon, Simard finished first in the 1-meter and 3-meter diving events.

Simard was part of two wins for the Bears, who defeated Little East foe Plymouth State University, 149-73, and Clark University, 117-104, to improve to 3-5.

The owner of four BSU diving records during her career, Simard finished first in the 1-meter event with 289.15 points and placed first in 3-meter diving with 312.40 points.

She will be bidding for a fourth straight Little East Conference championship in both events in mid-February and has qualified for the NCAA Northeast/North Regional in Connecticut at the end of February.

Another senior, Julie Remson (Norwalk, Conn.), was also a winner in her final home meet.

Remson placed first in the 100-yard backstroke in a time of 1:06.68. She was also second in the 100-yard individual medley in 1:08.12.

BSU swept both diving events against Clark and Plymouth State.

In the 1-meter event, freshman Sienna DeLucia (Wallingford, Conn.) was second with 265.75 points followed by sophomore Gianna Varady (Highland Park, N.J.) with 234.90.

Varady took second in the 3-meter diving event with 254.90 points with junior Jillian Hallman (Raynham, Mass.) third with 209.45 points.

Sophomore Evangelina Chaves (Raynham, Mass.) placed second in the 50-yard freestyle in 27.17 seconds and third in the 100-yard freestyle in 1:00.35.

Senior Ava Fenton (Monument Beach, Mass.) took second in the 100-yard butterfly in 1:06.96.

Freshman Nora Niedbala (Pawcatuck, Conn.) placed second in the 1,000-yard freestyle in 14:53.07.

Freshman Morgan Maher (Dighton, Mass.) was third in both the 100-yard individual medley in 1:09.78 and the 100-yard butterfly in 1:11.59.

Third-place finishers included senior Hannah Flockton (Plymouth, Mass.) in the 1,000-yard freestyle; senior Emily Bradford (Pittsfield, Mass.) in the 500-yard freestyle and freshman Niamh Fallon (Ayer, Mass.) in the 200-yard freestyle.

The 200-yard medley relay team of Fenton, DeLucia, Maher and Fallon placed second in 2:03.84 while the 200-yard freestyle team of Remson, Fenton, Bradford and Flockton was second in 1:55.89.

As part of Senior Day, seven swimmers and divers were honored at their final home meet.

They include Bradford, Fenton, Flockton, Simard, Remson, Gillian Costa (Fall River, Mass.) and Molly Roberts (Weymouth, Mass.).

The Bears will now prepare for the Little East Conference Championships, to be held Feb. 12-15.