SWIMMING & DIVING NOTEBOOK
The Vermont women's swimming & diving team returns to the competitive pool for the first time since mid-November on Saturday (Jan. 6) when it travels to America East rival UMBC to face the Retrievers and Howard University in a double dual meet at 2 p.m. in Baltimore. 

LAST TIME OUT
In its last meet, Vermont finished fourth overall out of eight teams at Boston University's annual Terrier Invitational in November with 530 points in the three-day competition. Army won the team title with 913 points, followed by BU and Boston College. 

Shannon Cowley won the 100-yard breaststroke on Day 2 as she hit the wall in 1:03.63. Cowley was also UVM's top finisher on Day 3 as the senior placed second overall in the 200 breaststroke, while adding third in the 200-yard individual medley. Kira Hancock posted a time of 55.89 seconds in the 100 backstroke for third place, breaking Claudia Etherington's varsity record of 56.11 set in 2011. 

Vermont closed the competition by earning second place in the 400 freestyle relay as the team of Sierra Sexton, Dani Rocheleau, Kelly Lennon and Emily McCormack posted a time of 3:27.47, less than half a second behind race winner UMass.

THREE'S COMPANY
For the third time in her rookie season, Haley Tomlinson won the America East Diver of the Week award following the Terrier Invitational. Tomlinson earned fifth place in the 3-meter dive in Boston with a score of 226.70. The freshman also registered a score of 203.50 in the 1-meter event for 10th overall.

SCOUTING UMBC
The Retrievers have won three America East Championships in a row and set a conference record last year with 936.5 points, becoming the first team to eclipse 900 points at the event. Four-year NCAA participant Emily Escobedo was named Most Outstanding Swimmer for the fourth time and earned the Dave Alexander Coaches Award for most points scored at the meet. 

This season, UMBC is 2-2 in dual meets and most recently competed in George Mason's Patriot Invitational in November, placing seventh out of nine schools with 261 points. Junior Hania Moro and freshman Natalija Marin have combined to win three America East Female Swimmer of the Week awards this season. UMBC graduate Chad Cradock is in his 17th year as the program's head coach. 

SCOUTING HOWARD
The Bison enter Saturday with a 4-4 record on the season and most recently placed fifth at the Yellow Jacket Invitational, hosted by Randolph-Macon, in early December. Junior KaSandra Kaplan has been named the CCSA Female Swimmer of the Week twice already and broke three different school records in the Yellow Jacket Invitational.

Last year, Howard closed the season with a 5-6 record and took ninth at the CCSA Championships while breaking three of the program's relay records at the meet. Nicholas Askew serves as the head coach of both the men's and women's squads at Howard, which is located in Washington, D.C.

WHO'S NEXT
Vermont hosts its Senior Day meet next Saturday (Jan. 13) at 12 p.m. against Northeastern at Forbush Natatorium. Live video coverage is available for free at CatamounTV.com.

Speeder & Earl's Coffee is the presenting sponsor of the 2017-18 women's swimming & diving season