University of Massachusetts senior Karen Upperco of Titusville, N.J. was recently named the Atlantic 10's Most Outstanding Diver after posting first place finishes in two diving events at the A-10 Championships.
She and freshmen Jason Cook of Amherst, were in Buffalo, representing UMass at this year's NCAA Zone A Diving Regional. Both divers competed in the one-meter and the three-meter and both have been selected as two of the 58 total competitors for this season's Zones.
This marked the fourth consecutive trip for Upperco to the NCAA Zone Regional and the senior has improved every year she competes. In her freshman season, Upperco finished 22nd in the one-meter event, and 29th in the three-meter.
As a sophomore, she dramatically improved on her premier performance, finishing seventh in the one-meter and fifth in the three-meter. Last season, the 2005 graduate of Hopewell Valley Central High School notched a fourth-place finish in each diving event.
This year, Upperco ended her final collegiate season on a high note as she notched a new Atlantic 10 record in the three-meter dive (588.25) and was named A-10 Champion in the one-meter (520.30), an event in which she already holds the conference record with a score of 520.60. The senior also notched a new Joseph Rogers Pool record after scoring 279.45 in the three-meter dive on Senior Day against Colgate and now sits atop the UMass record books in the three-meter dive and ranks third in school history in the one-meter.
At this year's A-10 Championships, the Minutewomen also dominated as they notched a fourth-place finish for the second year in a row at the Championships and broke six school records. The team was led by two of its senior captains - Upperco and Christa Narus of Stony Brook, N.Y.
Upperco was the team's leader on the diving board as she finished first in both diving events, something she hasn't done since her freshman year at A-10s. Narus added a third-place finish in the 200 fly (2:04.88) on day four to her record-breaking third-place finish in the 100 fly and fifth-place finish in the 200 free that she notched on the third day of competition.
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UMASS PROFILE

General: Holds the Atlantic 10 Championship records in the one-meter and the three-meter ... Holds the UMass school record in the three-meter dive (310.50) and ranks third all-time in the one-meter (278.85) ... Was named A-10 Most Outstanding Diver for the third time in her career.
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2008-09 (Senior): Was named A-10 Most Outstanding Diver, A-10 Student-Athlete of the Year, and UMass Dinn Bros. Winter Scholar-Athlete as a senior ... Set two new A-10 Championship records after placing first in the one-meter (270.70) and three-meter (292.15) at this year's Championships (2/18-21) ... Placed first in both the one-meter and three-meter diving events in the final dual meet of the season at Fordham (1/31) ... Set a new Pool Record in the three-meter dive with a score of 297.45 while adding another first-place finish in the one-meter (261.23) against Colgate (1/25) ... Finished first in the three-meter (259.35) and third in the one-meter (211.35) at home against Boston College (1/24) ... Finished first in both the one-meter (259.20) and the three-meter (259.35) at the Rhode Island Invitational (1/16-17) ... Notched a first-place finish in the one-meter (304.60) and a second-place finish in the three-meter (281.20) at the Galbraith Diving Invitational (12/6) ... Notched two first-place finishes: three-meter (279.75) and one-meter (251.32) at Binghamton (11/8) ... Finished first in the three-meter (277.80) and second in the one-meter (248.16) at home against Army (10/25) ... Notched two second-place finishes in the first meet of the season at Boston University (10/18).
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2007-08 (Junior): Atlantic 10 Most Outstanding Diver ... UMass Winter Female Scholar Athlete ... Competed at the NCAA Regionals (3/14-16) and finished fourth of 22 divers on both boards, notched a score of 532.65 on the one-meter dive and 563.65 on the three-meter dive ... Finished second in the three-meter dive with a score of 563.95 and first in the one-meter dive (520.60) at the A-10 Championships (2/20-23) ... Placed first in the one-meter dive with a score of 249.45, and second in the three-meter dive (261.30) at the Rhode Island Invitational (1/11-12).
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2006-07 (Sophomore): Second-Team All-Atlantic 10 member ... Named to the A-10 Commissioner's Spring Honor Roll ... Earned UMass/Dinn Bros. Athlete of the Week (2/5) ... At the A-10 Championships (2/21-24) took second in the three-meter dive (523.50) and third in the one-meter dive (476.85) ... At Fordham (2/3) won the one-meter dive (264.38) and the three-meter dive (279.90) ... Had her top three-meter dive of 280.70 at Colgate/Binghamton ... Posted eight wins on the season (six on the three-meter board).
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2005-06 (Freshman): First-team all-conference diver after winning the one-meter and three-meter dives at the A-10 Championships (2/18) ... Named A-10 Women's Most Outstanding Diver ... Named team MVP ... Earned A-10 Rookie of the Week honors (11/14) and UMass/Dinn Bros. Athlete of the Week honors (12/5, 2/20) ... Had 16 first-place finishes for the season between the one-meter and three-meter boards ... Finished the season 22nd on the one-meter board and 29th on the three-meter board at the NCAA Zone A Regional meet.
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Before UMass: A 2005 graduate of Hopewell Valley Central High School where she was a three-time All-American diver ... Was a 10 time National Diving Qualifier with her highest finish being seventh on the three-meter board ... Took sixth place on the three-meter board at the 2005 AAU Nationals ... Finished third at the 2005 New Jersey State Diving Championships ... Also swam the freestyle and butterfly events ... Led the Bulldogs to the New Jersey State Sectional title in 2002-03 and to a Colonial Division Championship in 2004-05 ... A two-time Mercer County Diving Champion and a member of the All-CVC Team as a senior.

Labels: Girls Swimming, Hopewell Valley

By Steve Sherman
Sports Editor

Council Rock North just completed a superb season. Finishing the campaign at 12-0 overall, 6-0 in the league, the Lady Indians captured their first Suburban One League (SOL) National conference championship in 11 years.

It’s hard to say how the cards would have played had perennial champion North Penn still been in the National conference. But the Knights jumped over to the Continental conference so the only division power standing in Rock’s way was Pennsbury.

Besting the Falcons, 103.5-82.5, in late January was a significant highlight to Rock’s season, say the girls. North won last year too, despite a last-minute change of venue that occurred due to a problem with the Indians’ pool.

“It was a great feeling to be able to go to their pool and beat them on their home turf,” stated junior Tori Hall of last year’s win.

“Beating Pennsbury gives us a lot of confidence--to be able to say we beat them again means a lot to us,” explained Hall of this season’s victory.

“We’re close and we’re all best friends but when it comes to the meet, it’s Pennsbury versus North.

“It’s the biggest and one of our toughest meets of the season.
“Being able to beat them shows us how deep we are and how excited and level-headed our whole team is.”

In addition to beating Pennsbury, the Rock also came out on top at SOLs, capturing the top trophy in a meet that took place Feb. 13.

“Winning SOLs was absolutely amazing,” said Hall. “We were all speechless; the excitement was unbelievable.”

According to Hall winning SOLs was significant for the team, the school but most importantly for CR North head coach Ted Schueller his first career SOL title.

“We know how much we mean to him and he means everything to us. Being able to give him his first [league title] was just an amazing feeling for me and I know for all the other girls.
“It was just a great day.”
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Sisters Making Waves

The Dillone sisters of Council Rock North are making waves once again this season in varsity swimming. Last year, the sisters helped propel the Rock to states in the 200 medley relay and the 200 free relay.

This time, junior Maggie and sophomore Kate Dillone were part of a 400 free relay team that finished fifth at districts held Feb. 27 and 28 at LaSalle University.

Along with Madison Meyer and Bizzy Millen, the four swimmers finished with a fifth-place district medal, completing the event in 3:36.94. The time not only qualified the Lady Indians for states but was also a full second less than the school record and less than three-tenths of a second more than the mark needed for High School All-American status.

Individually in districts, Kate finished fifth in both the 200 and the 500 free with teammate Meyer coming in just behind at sixth in the 500 free. Both are headed to states in those events as is Tori Hall, who grabbed an 8th-place medal at districts in the 100 back.

Tori was the backstroking part of the medley relay team that went to states last year. Kate completed the fly stroke portion of the event with Maggie swimming freestyle. Last season, the 200 free relay team was made up of the Dillone sisters along with Millen and Class of 2008 graduate Jenna Nowicke.

The medley relay team’s time of 1:52.50 was good enough to make state consolation finals in the PIAA’s final event that took place March 2008 at Bucknell University.

In the finals, the girls turned in a time of 1:51.28 but did not medal in the event.

Labels: CR North, Girls Swimming