Freestyler Kovenock in fast lane Freshman qualifies for Div. III championships

Kate Kovenock of Orono has continued to make waves in her transition to college swimming.

The Connecticut College freshman has become the New London school’s first female swimmer in 10 years to qualify for the Division III national championships.

Kovenock earned a trip to the nationals after winning the 50-yard freestyle in a school-record time of 24.05 seconds at the RPI Invitationals in Troy, N.Y., on Jan. 19.

Kovenock also swam an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 53.24 in the 100 free.

The NCAA Division III championships are set for March 7-9 at the College of Wooster in Wooster, Ohio.

Kovenock said the early performances were a shock.

“I’m actually a little surprised that I had times like that this early in the year,” she said.

The reason: The Camels had just returned from a grueling training trip to Boca Raton, Fla., from Jan. 6-14.

“We were putting in 7,000 to 10,000 yards per practice, and doing two practices a day, plus a dry-land session,” Kovenock said.

To put that in context, Kovenock said the heaviest training load she ever carried in high school was about 6,000 yards in a day.

“Of course, we don’t do that many yards when we’re back in school,” Kovenock said. “[Our coach] can’t completely wear us out. He comes pretty close, but we’ve got to have a little bit of energy left to do homework and stuff.”

Kovenock said she expects to swim faster later in the season, as she and her teammates begin to taper their training in order to prepare for the New England Small College Athletic Conference championship, which is set for Feb. 22-24.

Still, she has no concrete goals in mind, and is focusing on enjoying her first year of collegiate competition.

“I’m not trying to think about it [in terms of swimming a specific time],” Kovenock said. “I’m having a lot of fun in the water. More fun than I’ve had in a long time. The team atmosphere is wonderful.”

Kovenock was the Maine Swimming League’s Class B co-swimmer of the year last season, during which she capped a brilliant four-year career with the Red Riots. She also swam for the Canoe City Swim Club in Old Town.

Kovenock holds the state records in the 50 free (24.11) and 100 free (52.71) and was named the outstanding performer at the Class B state championships four straight times.

Streams, Pitula set MMA marks

Millinocket’s Corey Streams and Bangor’s Peter Pitula are winding up exceptional record-setting basketball careers at Maine Maritime Academy in Castine.

The two-year co-captains, who have been roommates for four years, have led the Mariners to a 9-6 record this season entering a Wednesday night game at the University of Maine-Machias.

Streams, a 6-foot senior guard who played football, baseball and basketball at Stearns High School, recently set the school’s career record for assists with 290 and double-figure scoring games with 67. Chris Owen previously owned the assist record (288) and Matt Ketchen had the double-figure scoring mark of 66.

He is also second in career steals with 166, 19 behind Ketchen, and is third in career points with 1,211 behind Adam St. John’s 1,405 and Ketchen’s 1,276.

“Corey is one of the best pure athletes I’ve ever seen,” said MMA coach Chris Murphy. “He is as quick to the ball as anyone you’ll see. He has tremendous speed. He is the best press-breaker around.”

Pitula, a 6-4 forward and Bangor High School graduate, owns the MMA career mark for 3-pointers with 176.

Pitula, according to Murphy, “does a lot of things well. He’s a great 3-point shooter and is a good defender in the block.”

Murphy also said Pitula is a good ball-handler who can bring the ball up the floor if needed.

“Corey is our go-to guy and Peter complements him,” said Murphy, who pointed out that they will be the first four-year graduates to leave MMA with a winning record [over the four years].