The University of Maine’s Stanley Wallace Pool is the site of the 2002 America East Swimming and Diving Championships, which begin today and run through Sunday in Orono.

Northeastern University has claimed back-to-back women’s titles, but the men’s crown is expected to be up for grabs with traditional powers Drexel and Delaware having moved to the Colonial Athletic Association.

Trials begin today at 11 a.m. in the 500-yard freestyle, 200 individual medley, 50 free, women’s 3-meter diving and men’s 1-meter diving. Championships start at 6 p.m. and will include the 200 free relay and the 400 medley relay.

Coach Jeff Wren’s Black Bears are paced by senior Krystal Fogler, who has been honored as the Most Outstanding Performer in each of the last two league championship meets.

Fogler owns America East records in the 100 backstroke (57.98 seconds) and 200 back (2:05.04) and also has the best times in UMaine history in the 100 freestyle (53.55) and 200 free (1:54.11).

Fogler is seeded second in the 50 free (24.78) and 100 free (53.55) for the championships and is seeded fourth and fifth, respectively, in the 100 back (59.63) and 200 back (2:11.26). She will only swim three individual events in the meet.

On the men’s side, UMaine is paced by junior Jake Jentzer of Bangor. Jentzer is the No. 1 seed in the 50 free (22.12), 100 free (47.01), 200 free (1:43.64) and 100 butterfly (50.80).

Saturday’s trials begin at 11 a.m. with finals slated for 5:30 p.m. On Sunday, the trials get under way at 11 a.m. with championships scheduled to start at 5:30.

League track title up for grabs

The Northeastern University men and the Vermont women will try to repeat their 2001 crowns on Saturday at the America East Indoor Track and Field Championships.

The meet starts at 9 a.m. at the Boston Armory.

The Maine women will be paced by versatile star Viktoria Rybalko, who holds the top seed in the long jump (19 feet, 111/2 inches) by more than a foot. She is also seeded to place in the 200 (4th, 25.34) and 55 (5th, 7.32).

Danielle Donovan is the seventh seed at 1,000 meters while Silvia Scadaferri and Brooke Deforte are sixth and seventh, respectively, in the 200. Maine could also score big points in the weight throw, as Julie Williams is seeded third, Angela Pulcifur is fifth, and Kate Yerxa is eighth.

The Black Bear men will be led by their distance corps, as Gabe Rivard (mile) and Ryan Harkleroad (800) are both seeded third in their events. Ken Bettis holds down the fourth seed in the 500. Brett McIntire is seeded second in the long jump and seventh in the 200.

Joey Luchini is ranked seventh in the 3,000 and Nathan Holmes is seventh in the 55 hurdles.