Mount St. Mary's Heads To Radford For The Highlander Invitational

Highlander Invitational
WHEN: Thu-Sat., Nov. 19-21, 2009
WHERE: Radford, Va.

opening dive... Mount St. Mary's will head to Radford for the Highlander Invitational. The Mount will participate in the event for the first time in program history. The squad will face Campbell, North Carolina A&T, Millersville, and Radford. This is the second meeting between Mount St. Mary's and Radford dating back to the 2008-09 season.

last time against Radford... Jeanne Marie Benedetti posted two victories in individual events and anchored the school record for the 400-free relay team on Nov. 8, 2008. The Mountaineers posted a 107-89 victory over the Highlanders. Benedetti won the 800 free (9:51:73) and the 400 free (4:47:98) prior to swimming the final leg in the 400-free relay team. The team set the school record with a time of 4:18:20. Paige Chenet has two victories in the 200 free (2:16:07) and the 100 free (1:03:58). Kelsey Abright posted a victory in the 50 free (28.75) and finished third in the 100 free (1:04:63). Mary Beth Kasda posted a 5:31:57 for the win in the 400IM. Eileen Coyne, Heather Kurtzman, Maggie O'Connell, and Katie Fives teamed together for the win in the 400-medley relay (4:55:36). Kurtzman placed third in the 100 back (1:14.99) while O'Connell finished second in the 100 fly (1:11.80). Freshman Courtney Gaddi finished right behind O'Connell in third place in the 100 fly (1:15.74) and placed second in the 800 free (10:05.54) behind Benedetti. Elise Radziwill recorded a pair of third-place finishes in the 50 free (29.11) and the 100 breast (1:24.99) while Chelsea Marrocco was third in the 400 free (5:18.25).

last time out... Freshman Courtney Griffith won three events to lead Mount St. Mary's to a 90-28 win against St. Francis (N.Y.) in women's swimming action on Nov. 14. The Mount also lost 67-54 to Loyola on the afternoon. Griffith won the 200 free (2:11.02), the 100 free (1:00.74) and the 100 fly (1:07.93). The freshman also swam the opening leg in the winning 400-free relay (4:11.06). Courtney Gaddi, Paige Chenet and Jeanne Marie Benedetti completed the four-person relay for the victory. Bendetti won the 400 free (4:47.29) and finished second in the 800 free (9:53.96). Chenet placed second in the 100 back (1:12.30) and third in the 50 free (29.70) while Gaddi was third in the 100 free (1:02.67). Along with Griffith and Benedetti, junior Heather Kurtzman registered the Mount's final first-place finish on the day in the 200 IM (2:39.35). Freshman Alyssa Cummin finished third in the event (2:48.16). Kurtzman also finished third in the 100 back (1:13.36) and the 200 back (2:36.05). Maggie O'Connell Dubois placed second in the 100 fly (1:12.71) and third in the 200 fly (2:43.22). Mary Beth Kasda notched a third-place standing in the 100 breast (1:25.03). Chenet, Kasda, O'Connell Dubois and Gaddi combined to finish second in the 200-medley relay (2:10.90).

next time in the water... The Mount heads to the Randolph Macon Invitational Fri-Sat., Dec. 4-5, 2009.

home pool advantage in 2009-10... Mount St. Mary's will host three events in 2009-10. The squad hosts Saint Francis (Pa.) (L, 67-100), Loyola (L, 54-67) and St. Francis (N.Y.) (W, 90-28) on Nov. 14 and Wagner on Jan. 16. The Mount is 7-4 at home, including a 4-1 record last season and a 3-1 mark in 2007-08.

about the team... The 2009-10 team is comprised of four senior s (Kate Ansman, Paige Chenet, Mary Beth Kasda, Maggie O'Connell), two juniors (Jeanne Marie Benedetti, Heather Kurtzman), three sophomores (Courtney Gaddi, Molly Kristiniak, Chelsea Marrocco) and three freshmen (Alyssa Cummin, Courtney Griffin, Samantha Katafiasz).

local product... Freshman Courtney Griffith hails from Westminster, Md. A graduate of Westminster High School, the freshman was a member of the Eagles Club at McDonough High School for the last four years.

o'connell dubois makes history... Senior Maggie O'Connell Dubois has recorded four Top-8 finishes at the Northeast Conference championships in her first three appearances. As a freshman, O'Connell finished seventh in the 100 fly, finished eighth in both the 100 fly and 200 fly in 2007-08 at the NEC Championships and then placed fifth in the 200 fly last season at the championships for the squad's best-ever finish.

familiar face... Head coach Neil Yost coached junior Maggie O'Connell Dubois at the Waynesboro YMCA. O'Connell holds six individual records at the Waynesboro YMCA. O'Connell Dubois got married prior to her senior campaign.

about the coach... Neil Yost, who enters his fourth season, became the first head coach in program history. Yost came to the Mount with nine years of coaching experience. Since 2002, Yost was the men's and women's swimming coach at Waynesboro High School. He also served as the head swimming coach and aquatics director at the Waynesboro Area YMCA. Before coaching at Waynesboro High School he was the aquatics director at the Westport/Weston YMCA from 2001-02. He was also the assistant swimming coach at Bloomsburg University and the head coach at the Central Columbia Aquatics Club for two years after serving as an assistant coach for two years. Yost started his coaching career as an assistant coach at the Central Columbia Aquatics High School from 1996-2000.