CHICAGO, Ill – Sophomore Max Fabian (Keene, N.H./Oak Meadow) broke his own school record in the 1,650-yard freestyle to pace the Brandeis University swimming and diving team on the final day of action at the 2013 University Athletic Association championships at the Universirt of Chicago.
Fabian finished the mile swim in 16:13.83, taking more than 22 seconds off his previous lifetime best. Fabian finished in fourth place, missing All-UAA honors by just over five seconds. He would have been Brandeis's first swimming and diving All-Association honoree since 2009. He also just met the NCAA Division III championship 'B' standard by just under three seconds, though he is unlikely to be selected to the championship meet.
Also scoring points in an individual event for the men was junior Padraig Murphy (Northampton, Mass./Northampton), who came in 20th in the 200-yard backstroke. Murphy finished with a time of 2:00.94, taking more than a second off his preliminary time of 2:02.09. Sophomore Manu Wendum (Antwerp, Belgium / Tachkemoni School) was 24th in the event with a time of 2:28.94.
On the women's side, Brandeis senior Holly Spicer (Northampton, Mass./Northampton) turned in another fine performance in the breaststroke, placing 17th in the 200-yard event. She missed qualifying for the 'B' final by two seconds, but swam a time of 2:31.41 to win the 'C' finals.
Other scorers for the Judges included sophomore diver Eliza Kopelman (Chestnut Hill, Mass./Brookline) placed 14th in the one-meter event with a score of 254.70; rookie Theresa Gaffney (Braintree, Mass./Braintree) in the 1,650, who was 21st in 19:08.73; and rookie Lauren Cruz (Redmond, Wash./Hamilton-East Steinert) who was 23rd in the 200 backstroke with a time of 2:14.79. Cruz swam the exact same time in the finals as in her prelims, when she was 21st.
Overall, in their first UAA meet since 2010, both Brandeis teams finished in eight place overall. The men registered 339 points, while the women tallied 212, both well behind seventh-place NYU.
Women - Team Rankings
1. Emory University 1955 2. University of Chicago 1435
3. Washington University St. Loui 1219.5 4. Carnegie Mellon University 1192.5
5. University of Rochester 874.5 6. Case Western Reserve Univ. 739.5
7. New York University 624 8. Brandeis University 212
Men - Team Rankings
1. Emory University 1818.5 2. Carnegie Mellon University 1300
3. University of Chicago 1230.5 4. Case Western Reserve Univ. 1184.5
5. Washington University St. Loui 1067 6. University of Rochester 693
7. New York University 687.5 8. Brandeis University