CAA Recognizes Top Freshmen Swimmers And Divers For The Month Of October
Rob Washburn
RICHMOND, Va. (November 8, 2022) – The CAA has announced its top freshmen performers for the month of October in swimming and diving. Drexel freshman Sebastian Smith was chosen as the Men’s Rookie Swimmer of the Month, while William & Mary freshman Sophia Heilen and UNCW freshman Maura Schoppa shared Women’s Rookie Swimmer of the Month honors. UNCW freshman Ethan Badrian was selected as the Men’s Rookie Diver of the Month and Delaware freshman Alex Pastris was chosen as the Women’s Rookie Diver of the Month.
CAA Men’s Rookie Swimmer of the Month
Sebastian Smith, Fr., Drexel (Wappingers, N.Y.)
Smith recorded first-place finishes in the 50 free and 100 fly in Drexel’s season-opening meet against La Salle. His winning time of 20.95 in the 50 free was the fifth-best in the conference during the month of October, while his 100 fly time of 49.27 ranks third in the CAA. He also placed third in the 200 IM against the Explorers.
CAA Women’s Co-Rookie Swimmer of the Month
Sophia Heilen, Fr., William & Mary (Haymarket, Va.)
Heilen has been dominant for William & Mary over the opening month of the season with eight individual event victories in the 100 and 200 fly events and the 200 IM. She currently has the fastest time in the CAA in the 200 fly (2:02.68) and the third-best performance in the 100 fly (55.56), and her time of 2:08.18 in the 200 IM ranks eighth in the league.
CAA Women’s Co-Rookie Swimmer of the Month
Maura Schoppa, Fr., UNCW (Summerfield, N.C.)
Schoppa posted five top-three finishes in the month of October, including wins in the 100 fly against Tennessee and 100 free vs. William & Mary. The freshman has turned in the fastest time in the conference this season in both the 100 free (50.52) and the 200 free (1:49.64), and her time of 56.39 in the 100 fly ranks ninth.
CAA Men’s Rookie Diver of the Month
Ethan Badrian, Fr., UNCW (Silver Springs, Md.)
Badrian earned three individual wins and finished in the top five on 10 occasions over the first month of the season. The freshman scored 320.20 on the 3-meter board to take first place against Army and compiled a winning score of 283.05 on the 1-meter board against William & Mary.
CAA Women’s Rookie Diver of the Month
Alex Pastris, Fr., Delaware (Broomall, Pa.)
Pastris finished no worse than third in the 1-meter and 3-meter competitions during her first two collegiate meets. The freshman posted a NCAA Zone cut score of 269.33 on the 1-meter board against Yale and compiled a score of 265.73 against Yale on the 3-meter board.