2012 GNAC Swimming Championship Underway – Men in Second; Women in Third

BOSTON, Mass. - Elms College junior Keegan Goan (Westbrook, Maine) notched a pair of Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) records as the men's team is currently in second place, while the women's team is in third place in opening day action of the 2012 GNAC Swimming and Diving Championship hosted by Simmons College.

Leading the men's field for the second straight year is Norwich University, who recorded 122 points, followed by Elms College with 114, Regis College with 110, and Saint Joseph's College of Maine with 79 points. 

Simmons leads the women's field with 164 points, followed by Regis College with 99.5, Elms College with 73, Saint Joseph's College of Maine with 43.5, Husson University with 29, University of Saint Joseph with 26, and Norwich University posting 22 points to round out the teams through the first day of competition.

On the men's side, Goan won the 100-yard butterfly with a GNAC record time of 53.67 which tied his own Elms school record, and also notched a GNAC record in the 50-yard butterfly with a winning time of 24.21.

Freshman Ethan Etheridge (Pawtucket, R.I.) added a school record in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:02.52) and finished in second that race, and secured a school record time of 2:09.25 in the 200-yard individual medley, placing second in the process.

The 400-yard medley relay team of freshman Stephen Lynch (Madison, Conn.), Etheridge, Goan and junior Aaron Starke (Chicopee, Mass.) combined to set a new GNAC and school record, powering to a top time of 3:49.89.

Lynch added first place finishes in the 500-yard freestyle (5:12.88) and the 200-yard freestyle with a mark of 1:53.33.

For the women, junior Devon DeGrazia (Westport, Mass.) won the 500-yard freestyle (5:32.67), placed second in the 200-yard freestyle (2:01.41) and led the team of seniors Tessa Dudunake (Northampton, Mass.), Emalee Furtek (Ludlow, Mass.) and Chalis Bird (Windsor, Mass.) that clocked a winning time of 4:27.72 in the 400-yard medley relay.

GNAC Championship and Men's Invitational action will continue tomorrow morning with the first event set to begin at 10:00 a.m. at the Holmes Sports Center at Simmons College. Sunday's finals will begin at 5:00 p.m.