Women’s Swim & Dive Preps for Fordham

Friday, October 30

New York, NY

5 PM

Army West Point

Fordham

Women’s Swim & Dive Preps for Fordham

October 30, 2015 | Women's Swimming and Diving

WEST POINT, N.Y. – After starting the season 3-0, the Army West Point women's swimming and diving team returns to the pool for a dual-meet against Fordham Friday, Oct. 30. The Black Knights will face the Rams at the Col. Francis B. Messmore Aquatic Center in the Bronx, N.Y. for the 5 p.m. contest.

"I think as a team we are in a really good place right now," said head coach Mickey Wender. "I like the morale, attitude and effort every day. I think as we have hit our stride training wise, we have gotten into a good routine and rhythm in what everyone needs to be doing.

"We have a strong group of athletes assembled here. There's a real desire to improve and be the best they can be. We have been building off from all of the experiences that we've had, and I'm pleased with where we are and know that we're moving in the right direction."

Two weeks ago, Army earned a, 191-120, win over UMass at Crandall Pool. It was the third time in program history that the Cadets topped the Minutemen.

The meet featured a new event for both sides in the 100 IM. The Cadets set a pool, plebe and Academy record. Jess Burkett captured the Academy and pool record with a time of 59.63, while Sidney Evans earned the plebe standard by touching the wall in 1:01.14 for third place.

Army went first through third in the opening event, the 200 medley relay. The "A" squad of Kelly Hamilton, Jess Fabrizio, Molly Mucciarone and Rachel Kim touched the wall in 1:46.72.

The "B" team of Bailey Smith, Kara Wineinger, Teresa Groton and Jenna Forrester were second in 1:48.85 and Kim Sembrano, Jess Ambrose, Shannon Rogers and Jen Clay were third with a time of 1:50.45.

In the diving events, Ariana Rocha was Army's top finisher off both boards. Rocha tallied 135.75 points on the 1-meter and 157.72 on the 3-meter. Jorie Mason represented the Black Knights on the 3-meter and earned 157.05 points.

Friday evening's match will be the lone women-only match of the season.

"I think it is a great experience and an excellent opportunity for our women to take the next step in establishing their identity," Wender commented. "We run almost everything we do as a combined program, but to have our women's team separate is a great chance for them to learn a little bit more about who they are and what they represent. I can't say enough about how proud I am of our women's program, and how far the team has come in the last several years. It has been a great evolution and there is a real toughness and maturity that I've noticed in them."

This meet will also mark the 13th meeting between the Black Knights and the Rams with Army boasting a 9-3 advantage. The first contest was during the 1978-79 season.

"We don't know too much of what to expect with Fordham," said Wender. "They are a well coached team with a lot of talent. They've had a lot of success over the years, and I think it will be a great matchup. We will be tested, and I expect we will have a lot of close races and that the race would come down to the end. I have a lot of faith in our team."

The Rams enter the meet with an identical 3-0 record to Army's. Fordham earned wins over Marist (163-80), Fairfield (162-121) and Monmouth (168-45).

Wendy Espina-Esquivel is the reigning Atlantic-10 Performer of the Week after breaking records off both boards in the Rams' meet against Marist. She scored a 280.20 on the one-meter and a 307.20 off the three-meter, which are both NCAA-Zones qualifying scores. Espina-Esquivel then captured two more first-place scores in the Fairfield/Monmouth tri-meet, with a 279.30 in the one-meter dives and a 281.10 in the three-meter dives.

For up-to-date information about Army swimming and diving, please follow @ArmyWP_SwimDive on Twitter and Instagram.