Feb. 16, 2010

WASHINGTON - The Georgetown University men's and women's swim teams will travel to Pittsburgh, Pa. this week to compete in the BIG EAST Championship Meet hosted by the University of Pittsburgh. After concluding the diving competition last weekend, both the men's and women's squad will take on some of the top programs in the country at the meet.

The Georgetown women's squad had its best dual meet record this season under Head Coach Steve Cartwright. The Hoyas went 10-2 in dual meets including a nine-meet win streak. The Blue & Gray had 18 swimmers qualify for the BIG EAST Championship with 17 competing in multiple events.

The women boast one of the most talented teams in recent memory with a number of swimmers on pace to challenge the school records at the meet this weekend.

Junior Megan Harvey (Norristown, Pa./Academy of Notre Dame de Namur) qualified for the 100 butterfly posting the 19th-best time in the conference with a seed time of 57 seconds flat. Harvey will also compete in the 50 freestyle and 200 fly. In her time on the Hilltop she has been a part of two school record breaking relays, the 200 freestyle relay and the 800 freestyle relay.

Sophomore Kristen Pratt (Wyckoff, N.J./Ramapo) is currently the school record holder in the 200 butterfly and will be competing in that event with the 22nd seed in the conference as well as the 100 butterfly and the 500 freestyle. Senior Lindsay Vickroy (Wayne, Pa./Conestoga) and freshman Christina Costa (Tarrytown, N.Y./Irvington) are two additional school record holders swimming this weekend. Vickroy will swim in the 50 free, 100 backstroke and the 100 free while Costa will compete in the 500 free, 200 free and the 200 backstroke.

On the men's side, freshman Paul Quincy (San Ramon, Calif./California) is seeded 17th in the 1650 free with a time of 16:10.45. Quincy is the school record holder in the 1000 freestyle, but will be competing in the 200 free and 500 free at the BIG EAST meet.

Sophomore Victor Lopez-Cantera (Miami, Fla./Belen Jesuit Prep) is seeded 18th in the 100 fly which he is a school record holder in. Lopez-Cantera is also the record holder in the 200 fly which he will be swimming in along with the 50 free. Finally, junior Thomas Graham (Washington, D.C./St. Albans) will be swimming in both the 100 and 200 breaststroke. He is the school record holder in the 100 breast and seeded 25th in the event.

The Hoyas have dealt with adversity the last few weeks as the team began tapering for the conference meet. The snow storms that hit the region made getting to practice difficult and a malfunction in the pool's equipment later in the week closed the pool for a number of days.

"Water is water, we can practice anywhere but during this point of the season every day is critical," said Cartwright. "We are grateful to George Washington, American, St. Alban's High School and the Montgomery County Aquatic Center for allowing us to use their facilities the past few days."

Competition begins Wednesday with trials beginning every day at 10 a.m. and finals starting every evening at 6 p.m. Fans can check www.BIGEAST.com for live stats throughout the day at tournament central or purchase the live webcast through the BIG EAST website for $9.95 which includes all four days of competition. More information can be found here