CAA Recognizes Top Freshmen Swimmers And Divers For The Month Of November
Rob Washburn
RICHMOND, Va. (December 6, 2022) – The CAA has announced its top freshmen performers for the month of November 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 Northeastern freshman Anna Verlander shared Women’s Rookie Swimmer of the Month honors. Delaware freshman Kevin Siegfried 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 turned in the top performance in the conference this season in the 100 free with a time of 43.66 at the WVU Invitational. At the same event, he recorded the CAA’s 2
nd-fastest time in the 100 fly (47.27), 3
rd-best time in the 50 free (20.24) and 4
th-best time in the 200 IM (1:48.68). The freshman was also part of Drexel’s 400 free relay team that set a program record with a time of 2:56.51. Smith added first-place efforts in the 50 free and 100 fly at Seton Hall and 50 and 100 free against Lehigh.
CAA Women’s Co-Rookie Swimmer of the Month
Sophia Heilen, Fr., William & Mary (Haymarket, Va.)
Heilen performed well against some of the nation’s top swimmers at the Toyota U.S. Open last week. She reached the finals in two events and set a program record in the 100 fly with a long course meter time of 1:00.96 in the B final. Heilen also made the finals in the 200 fly and placed 7
th in the B final with a time of 2:18.98.
CAA Women’s Co-Rookie Swimmer of the Month
Anna Verlander, Fr., Northeastern (Atlanta, Ga.)
Verlander recorded the fastest times in the conference this season in the 100 back and 200 back at the BU Terrier Invitational. The freshman set a new program record in the 100 back with a time of 54.14 and posted a time of 1:57.08 in the 200 back.
CAA Men’s Rookie Diver of the Month
Kevin Siegfried, Fr., Delaware (Chalfont, Pa.)
Siegfried posted five first-place finishes during four meets in November and early December. The freshman turned in his top performance against William & Mary, where he had a winning score of 347.70 on the 1-meter board and 314.18 on the 3-meter board. He also swept both boards against West Chester and placed first in the 1-meter competition against La Salle and Rider.
CAA Women’s Rookie Diver of the Month
Alex Pastris, Fr., Delaware (Broomall, Pa.)
Pastris finished in the top three five times in six competitions during the month of November. The freshman placed first on the 1-meter board (286.65) and third on the 3-meter board (279.30) in the meet against William & Mary, and turned in a pair of second-place efforts against La Salle and Rider.
CAA Men’s Rookie Swimmers of the Month
October – Sebastian Smith, Drexel
November – Sebastian Smith, Drexel
CAA Men’s Rookie Divers of the Month
October – Ethan Badrian, UNCW
November – Kevin Siegfried, Delaware
CAA Women’s Rookie Swimmers of the Month
October – Sophia Heilen, William & Mary and Maura Schoppa, UNCW
November – Sophia Heilen, William & Mary and Anna Verlander, Northeastern
CAA Women’s Rookie Divers of the Month
October – Alex Pastris, Delaware
November – Alex Pastris, Delaware