UMaine hosts league championship

The Stanley Wallace Pool at the University of Maine is again the site of the America East Swimming and Diving Championships, which begin today in Orono.

Coach Jeff Wren’s Black Bear program will play host to the event for the third straight year. The action runs through Sunday night.

UMaine is among six teams competing for the league title. Boston University, New Hampshire, Stony Brook, and Vermont field men’s and women’s squads, while Northeastern sponsors only a women’s team.

Wren said his UMaine teams lack the depth and balance of last season.

“It’s been a hardworking group, a pleasant group to work with,” said Wren, who has been with the UMaine program since its inception in 1971. “Individually, we’ll some really exciting results. We still have some people who are going to make a splash near the top of the standings.”

Northeastern has won three consecutive America East women’s crowns. The Huskies are led by senior Jill Vance, who seeks her fourth straight 200 freestyle title.

However, UNH will challenge for the team championship. The Wildcats are seeded first in 15 events and beat Northeastern in a regular-season meet, although Wren said the Huskies appear to have an edge in depth.

Kristen Nardozzi, the 400 individual medley winner last two years, leads UNH.

UMaine has some key performers, including two-time defending 50 freestyle champ Katrine Alcaide of Harpswell. Stephanie Smietana is seeded third in the 100 backstroke and has been challenging school records all season.

Brittany Harrington and Readfield’s Kate Abbott are strong in the distance freestyle, while Harrington also should contend in the 200 breaststroke.

“It’s going to be harder than ever to win events this year, especially on the women’s side,” Wren said.

Boston University will attempt to defend its men’s title behind sophomore Victor Pagula, the 2002 Most Outstanding Diver, along with sophomore Chris Collins, the 2002 champ in the 100 and 200 backstroke and the 200 individual medley.

However, Wren expects Stony Brook and Binghamton to make a serious run at the men’s championship.

Heading the UMaine men’s squad is Bangor senior Jake Jentzer, who is seeded third in the 100 butterfly and could score in the freestyle swims. Sophomore Andy Magiera of Surry is seeded in the top heat of the 1,650 free and could score well in the 200 and 500 free.

The Bears also are looking for good swims from seniors Dan Donohue (200 fly) and Nick Baser, who is seeded in the 100 and 200 breaststroke.

“We’ve got kind of an unbalanced team, some holes in the lineup,” Wren said. “They’ve been training hard, but they’re coming into this with some limited experience.”

Trials begin Friday at 11 a.m. in the 500 free, 200 IM, 50 free, women’s 3-meter diving and men’s 1-meter diving. Those finals, as well as the 200 free relay and the 400 medley relay, will begin at 6 p.m.

“That first morning is critical,” Wren said. “There are always some kids who do things you didn’t expect and that gets everybody charged up and hopefully the ball starts rolling from there.”

The action heats up again Saturday at 11 a.m. with trials in the 400 IM, 100 butterfly, 200 free, 100 breaststroke, 100 backstroke and women’s 1-meter diving. Championships in those events, along with the 200 medley relay and 800 free relay, start at 6 p.m.

On Sunday, the trials begin at 11 a.m. with the 200 back, 100 free, 200 breaststroke, 200 butterfly, 1650 free and men’s 3-meter diving. The championships begin at 5:30 p.m. in those events and the 400 free relay.