February 27, 1999

After day two of the Big East Conference Swimming and Diving Championships at the Goodwill Games Aquatic Center in Uniondale, N.Y., on Friday, February 26, the Villanova University women's swimming and diving team (406.50 points) overtook second place and stands 180 points behind first place Notre Dame. The Wildcat men dropped one spot in the second day of competition and are currently in eighth place with 151 points.

Winning her first career conference championship in the 500 yard freestyle on Thursday, freshman Maddy Crippen (Conshohocken, Pa./ Germantown Academy) kept up her outstanding swimming by taking yet another Big East title on Friday. Crippen won a Big East Championship in the 400 yard individual medley, setting a new Big East record with a time of 4:11.86. Her times in the 500 yard freestyle and the 400 yard individual medley qualify her for the NCAA's in each event. Crippen was ranked No. 1 in the nation in the 400 yard individual medley coming into the day with a time of 4:12.51, a time which she surpassed by 0.65. She was a two-time high school national champion in the 400 yard individual medley

Sophomore Kristen Olson (Moon Twp., Pa./ Moon Area H.S.), won a Big East on Friday, by posting a win in the 200 yard freestyle with a Conference record time of 1:48.90. Olson has now won Big East Championships in consecutive seasons. In 1998, she won the conference title in the 50 yard freestyle.

The Villanova women's 800 yard freestyle relay team of senior Elizabeth Lauwaert, junior Tara Brock, Olson and Crippen won a Big East Championship title as well, just missing a Big East record with a time of 7:22.23.