Oct. 8, 2010

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- The Navy swimming and diving teams will open their respective 2010-11 season Saturday when the Midshipmen travel to Fairfax, Va., to face George Mason and Loyola in an 11 a.m. dual meet.

Both Navy teams won Patriot League titles in 2010 and were tabbed as the favorites to sweep the team titles again this year.

The Navy women's teams returns 21 of its 30 letterwinners from a year ago, as well as athletes who combined to score 530 of Navy's 687 individual event points at the 2010 Patriot League meet. Also back for Navy are 10 of the 12 members of the team who garnered all-league accolades a year ago. Included among the returning first-team performers are Laura Gorinski (So., Greensburg, Pa.), Toni Paruso (So., Savannah, Ga.), Allison Ranzau (Sr., Alpharetta, Ga.), Kellie Darmody (So., Charlotte, N.C.) and Hollis Capuano (So., Wallingford, Conn.).

Darmody holds the school record in the 100 backstroke, Gorinski has set the Navy standard in both breaststroke events and in the 200 individual medley and Paruso has posted the fastest time in Navy history in both butterfly events.

"Our team has been training extremely well throughout our preseason," said Navy women's swimming head coach John Morrison. "We are definitely looking forward to competing Saturday. George Mason and Loyola always provide a tough match-up for us. Mason has one of the best returning breaststrokers in the country and they have added several top-notch freshmen to complement the speed and depth of their returning swimmers. Loyola always brings a team ready to swim fast. We will need a complete team effort to compete with these teams. It will be an exciting first competition."

Returning for the Navy men's team from last year are 29 of 39 letterwinners, athletes who accrued 535.5 of the team's 847 individual event points at the 2010 league meet and 11 of its 17 all-league performers from last season. Returning first-team all-league honorees from 2010 are Mac Anthony (Jr., Allentown, Pa.), Justin Vagts (So., Crofton, Md.), Erik Hunter (Sr., Placerville, Calif.), Sam Martinette (Sr., Richmond, Va.), Aaron Aiken, (Sr., Ocala, Fla.), Pete Donahue (Sr., Washington, D.C.), Steve Dukleth (Jr., Glen Ellyn, Ill.), Patrick Veltman (Sr., Midlothian, Va.), Mark Meyer (Jr., Bethesda, Md.) and Joseph Stark (So., Erie, Pa.). Individual event school record holders for the Mids include Anthony in the 200 free and Hunter in the 500, 1000 and 1650 freestyle events plus the 400 individual medley.

"It's time to compete," said Navy head coach Bill Roberts. "It is an exciting time in the year as we get going with dual meets. We are looking forward to Saturday's meet with George Mason and Loyola."

Navy, George Mason and Loyola all met at the very beginning of the 2009-10 season in Lejeune Hall. The men's meet saw Navy post a 164-125 victory over George Mason and a 161-109 win over Loyola. On the women's side, the Mids tallied a 166-129 victory over the Patriots and a 210-85 win over the Greyhounds.