Men’s and Women’s Swimming Split With Norwich University

CHICOPEE, Mass. – Elms College junior Devon DeGrazia (Westport, Mass.) clocked a pair of school records for the women's team and won two events, while freshman James Grippo (Longmeadow, Mass.) notched a pair of victories on the men's side as the Blazers earned a split with Norwich University in Saturday afternoon's swim meet at Partyka Natatorium.

The men's team suffered a 159-87 loss now stands at 6-1 on the season, while Norwich's men's team improves to 3-5 overall. Elms' women's team posted a 121-62 victory to improve to 2-8 overall, while the Cadets move to 0-7 on the season.

DeGrazia set school records in the 200-meter freestyle (2:16.02) and the 400-meter freestyle (4:49.81) and also won the 50-meter freestyle with a time of 29.82.

Senior Tessa Dudunake (Northampton, Mass.) won the 50-meter breaststroke (37.90) and the 100-meter breaststroke (1:26.75), while junior Gabrielle Calvanese (Agawam, Mass.)finished second in both events with respective times of 43.74 and 1:36.89.

Senior Emalee Furtek (Ludlow, Mass.) added victories in the 100-meter butterfly and the 100-meter freestyle with times of 1:17.49 and 1:09.45, while junior Emily Schneider (West Kingston, R.I.) clocked second place times in the 800-meter freestyle (11:43.12), the 50-meter freestyle (33.23) and the 100-meter freestyle (1:13.09).  

Senior Tricia Ruell (Chicopee, Mass.) touched the wall first in the 50-meter backstroke (36.62), followed by junior Kelly Gilhooly (Bloomfield, Conn.) who placed second with a time of 37.92. Ruell and Gilhooly also placed first and second in the 100-meter backstroke with times of 1:19.34 and 1:23.04 respectively.

The 200-meter medley relay team of Ruell, Dudunake, Furtek and DeGrazia won the event with a time of 2:19.80.

For the men's team, Grippo tabbed first place honors in the 100-meter butterfly (1:07.58) and the 100-meter backstroke (1:07.83) and finished second in the 800-meter freestyle with a time of 9:51.25. Junior Aaron Starke (Chicopee, Mass.) notched a pair of first place finishes in the 50-meter freestyle (26.63) and the 50-meter butterfly (30.32).

Freshman Ethan Etheridge (Pawtucket, R.I.) had a first, second and third place finish, notching top honors in the 100-meter freestyle (59.10), second in the 100-meter individual medley (1:07.24) and third place in the 50-meter backstroke (34.07).

The 200-meter medley relay squad of Grippo, freshman Kyle Murphy (Holyoke, Mass.), Etheridge and Starke finished second with a time of 2:03.41.

Elms returns to action on Saturday, January 26 for a 1:00 p.m. meet at Regis College in Weston, Mass.