Men's Swimming Takes Third Place And Women Fifth At 2011 Metropolitan Conference Championships

Piscataway, N.J.-The University of Bridgeport swimming teams wrapped up the 2011 Metropolitan Conference Championships on Sunday night, with a strong showing which took place in Piscataway, N.J. on the campus of Rutgers University, as the UB men finished in third place out of 18 teams with 754 points, and the Purple Knights women took fifth place out of 19 teams with 833 points.  On the men's side, The College of New Jersey took first place with 1496 points followed by the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy n second with 1000 points.  The UB men were the top finisher amongst all Division I/II schools.  TCNJ also won on the women's side with 1585.5 points followed by Southern Connecticut State University in second with 1010.5 points, Rowan in third with 915 points and C.W. Post in fourth with 902.5 points.

Earning individual awards at the end of the meet were Sonia Arau and Oscar Pereiro who swept the Rookie of the Meet Awards, and Florian Mehlan earned Male Swimmer of the Meet accolades.

In individual men's events on Sunday, freshman Florian Mehlan took third in the 1650-yard Free with an NCAA "B" cut time of 16:14.12.

Junior Piotr Safronczyk was sixth in the 200-yard Breaststroke with a time of 2:07.32 (NCAA "B" Cut) and sophomore Julio Lopez was third in the 200-yard Butterfly with a time of 1:54.41 (NCAA "B" Cut).

On the women's side, freshman Sonia Arau won the 200-yard Back in an NCAA "A" cut time, school, conference and pool record time of 2:00.69, and junior Maris Visse win the 200-yard Butterfly event with a time of 2:07.63 (NCAA "B" Cut).

In the women's 200 Back, freshman Karen Barboza was fifth with a time of 2:08.71 (NCAA "B" Cut), and junior Sandra Schmitz finished sixth with a time of 2:08.99.

In the women's 200 Fly, sophomore Noufissa Chbihihad a strong performance taking third place in an NCAA "B" Cut time of 2:08.80.

Freshman Ilka Oberle, took fifth in the women's 200-yard Breaststroke with a time of 2:25.53 (NCAA "B" Cut).

In the women's 100-yard Free, senior Roxy Purcelea grabbed third place with a time of 53.08 (NCAA "B" Cut).

In women's relay events, the 400-yard Free team of, Roxy Purcelea, Sandra Schmitz, Sonia Arau and Maris Visse took third with a time of 3:32.33 (NCAA "B" Cut),

Both Bridgeport swimming teams will now turn their attention to the 2011 NCAA Division II National Championship Meet that will be held in San Antonio, Texas from March 9-12.