Colonials Swimming Heads to Atlantic 10 Championship

Senior captain Andrew Maguire and the Colonials look to do well at the A-10 Swimming Championship.

2/22/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming and Diving

Feb. 22, 2011

Atlantic 10 Championship Schedule of Events | Atlantic 10 Championship Central

BUFFALO, NY - The George Washington University men's and women's swimming teams are in Buffalo for the 2011 Atlantic 10 Men's and Women's Swimming and Diving Championship. This season's championship meet will take place Feb. 23-26, 2011, at the Erie Community College natatorium, hosted by St. Bonaventure.

Fans can visit the Atlantic 10 Championship Central page here to find information on tickets, directions and a visitor's guide. The A-10 will also be live streaming the evening sessions on Thursday, Feb. 24 through Saturday, Feb. 26, starting at 6:30 p.m. each day.

The Colonials, under 12th year head coach Dan Rhinehart, are led this season by senior sprinter Paola Leor, who medaled at the 2010 A-10 Championships with her GW record-breaking finish in the 200-yard individual medley (2:04.67). Leor broke her school record on the 100-yard freestyle in the final day of the Patriot Invitational (Nov. 21) with a time of 50.55.

The women's squad also has depth with 13 freshmen this season. Caroline Myers, Sydney Saunders and Sloan Saunders have posted top times in each event that they swam this season. Myers garnered back-to-back A-10 weekly swimming awards early in the season, after posting top times in distance and middle distance events. The Saunders sisters specialize in short distance sprints and relay events.

The men's squad is headlined by a strong class of sophomores, with a tight group of freshman on their heels. Sophomore transfer Phillip Graeter has made a quick impact for the Colonials in middle distance events, allowing returners Alex Etz and Niklas Gelenesk to focus on sprinting and distance events, respectively. Freshmen on the men's squad included A-10 Rookie weekly honorees Spencer Neff, Niccolo Wilson, and Jake Mortensen.

GW wrapped up the regular season at the Smith Center on Jan. 30 in a dual meet against rival George Mason. Both Colonials squads fell to the Patriots by less than six points in the tightest meet of the season. GW collected victories over Howard, Drexel, Catholic and American this season.