Amanda Le
Amanda Le

Mancini Qualifies for NCAA Championships as Bentley Improves to 3-0

WALTHAM, Mass. – Bentley University freshman Nicola Mancini (Falmouth, Maine/Falmouth HS) broke the school record off the three-meter board and qualified for the NCAA Division II Championships in both diving events as part of the Falcons' 135-106 women's swimming and diving victory over crosstown rival Brandeis University.

The swimming portion of the meet was held at Brandeis on Sunday while the diving competition was contested at Bentley Wednesday night.

Mancini claimed the two diving events in impressive fashion, posting scores of 277.20 in the one meter (only 8.75 off the Bentley record) and 294.10 in the three. The latter shattered the Bentley standard owned by Jade Lee since 2002 by 26 points.

Junior Amanda Le (Chelmsford/Chelmsford HS), sophomore Nadine Edwards (Danbury, Conn./Danbury HS) and freshman Melissa Clauss (Oakland, N.J./Bergen County Academies) were double-winners in the pool for the 3-0 Falcons, and each also participated on a winning relay team.

Le and Clauss, along with junior Caroline Lewis (Westfield/Westfield HS) and senior Monika Drogosz (Unionville, Conn./Farmington HS), helped Bentley grab the early lead with a win in the 400 medley relay (4:16.69). Le also placed first in the 100 yard breaststroke (1:09.61) and the 200 breast (2:27.28) while Clauss's victories came in the 200 butterfly (2:23.27) and the 100 fly (1:03.78).

Edwards was the first to the wall in both the 200 freestyle (2:03.21) and the 500 free (5:27.67), and was part of Bentley's 200 free relay (1:48.07).

Bentley also received individual wins from Drogosz in the 50 free (26.11), Lewis in the 200 back (2:20.91), senior Taryn Dooley (Feeding Hills/Agawam HS) in the 100 back (1:06.51), sophomore Danielle Hellstern (Southbury, Conn./ Pomperaug HS) in the 100 free (56.70) and senior Jessica Hodsdon (Brewer, Maine/Brewer HS) in the 200 individual medley (2:21.96).

Bentley's next meet is at home next Saturday against UMass-Dartmouth.