It was yet another successful showing for the swimming and diving team at the 2017 BIG EAST Championship, as the Wildcats entered the Nassau County Aquatic Center with confidence and determination.

 The women’s team continued its success as it took home its fourth consecutive Big East title with an outstanding performance. The Wildcats earned the top spot earning a total of 1,017 points breaking a variety of school records on their road to victory. 

Although it took a total team effort to win the championship, the individual performance of Darcy Goodwin was one for the ages. Goodwin was named the BIG EAST Women’s Most Outstanding Swimmer for the second year in a row, which adds to her already impressive resume. Among the 18 school records broken she was personally responsible for five of them. 

Winning the 1650 Freestyle, 200 Backstroke, 100 Freestyle, 200 Butterfly and 400 Freestyle Relay The women’s team dominated in both relays and individual events, .

A few other notable performances included those of Emily Mayo and Alexa Fabbri. Mayo won the 1650 Freestyle for the third consecutive year. This caps off a remarkable career at Villanova, as she is set to graduate in May.

Current sophomore Alexa Fabbri broke two school records for the 200-Yard Freestyle, one individually (1:46.15) and the other as the first leg of the 800-Yard Freestyle relay (1:46.25). These performances were only a few of the many that propelled the women’s team to their fourth consecutive BIG EAST title. 

It truly was a dominant performance, as the women’s team totaled 1,017 points in their championship performance. Georgetown placed second with 685 points followed by Seton Hall with 518 points. It’s safe to say that the women’s swimming and diving team continues to carry on the winning traditions of Villanova. 

On the other hand, the men’s swimming and diving team finished in fourth place with a total of 614.5 points. Seton Hall finished in first with 872.5 points followed by Georgetown who collected 677.5 points.

Although the men’s team fell short of their goals, they set a variety of school records with their performance. Junior Jake Hoin broke the 50-Yard Freestyle (20.59) and 100-Yard Butterfly record (47.95). Records were also broken for the Men’s 200-Yard Medley Relay (1:29.26), 200-Yard Freestyle Relay (1:21.18) and the 800-Yard Freestyle Relay.`They look forward to using this experience to benefit them in achieving their goals for 2018.

Head Coach Rick Sampson and Head Diving Coach Todd Michael received accolades for their exceptional achievements in coaching. Rick Sampson was named the BIG EAST Women’s Coach of the Year, and Todd Michael was named the Women’s Co-Diving Coach of the Year. During his 17 years at Villanova, Sampson has helped transform the Wildcats into a perennial powerhouse of the BIG EAST conference. 

The Wildcats will make sure to enjoy their fourth consecutive BIG EAST title, before preparing to hit the water next year in hopes of adding to an already impressive résumé.