Newport News, Va. – The Atlantic 10 Conference announced its preseason polls for swimming & diving today, as voted upon by the league's head coaches.
On the women's side, Richmond, winner of seven consecutive Atlantic 10 titles and 15 of the last 16 championships, received nine first-place votes and a total of 119 points.
Duquesne, the runner-up at last year's championship, took second in this year's poll, finishing with 103 points. Fordham, with 101 points and two first-place votes, was third. Massachusetts (89) and George Washington (74) came in fourth and fifth, respectively, and followed by George Mason, St Bonaventure, Davidson, Saint Louis, Rhode Island and La Salle.
Fordham, which finished fourth at last year's women's championship, returns a pair of All-Conference performers in senior diver
Wendy Espina-Esquivel and sophomore butterfly performer
Amelia Bullock, as well as ten other performers, who scored for the Rams at the championship.
On the men's side, George Washington received five first-place votes and 60 points in the preseason poll, and are coming off their first-ever A-10 title at last year's championship.
La Salle, the A-10 runner-up in 2017, has been predicted to finish second, receiving one first-place vote and earning 54 points. Massachusetts was third in the poll with one first-place vote and 51 points, followed by Fordham (one first-place vote - 38 points) and Saint Louis (24). George Mason, St. Bonaventure and Davidson rounded out the poll.
Fordham, which tied its best-ever finish in fourth in the men's championship and set 12 school records, return Atlantic 10 champions
Joe Mercurio (50 free) and
Liam Semple (1650 free), as well as All-Conference performers
Joseph Vizza and
Greg Lombana and eight other scorers.
The 2018 Atlantic 10 Swimming and Diving Championships will be held February 14-17 at the SPIRE Institute located in Geneva, Ohio.
2018 A-10 Women's Swimming & Diving Preseason Poll
(number in parentheses includes first-place votes) |
| 1. |
Richmond (9) |
119 |
| 2. |
Duquesne |
103 |
| 3. |
Fordham (2) |
101 |
| 4. |
Massachusetts |
89 |
| 5. |
George Washington |
74 |
| 6. |
George Mason |
57 |
| 7. |
St. Bonaventure |
56 |
| 8. |
Davidson |
50 |
| 9. |
Saint Louis |
28 |
| 10. |
Rhode Island |
26 |
| 11. |
La Salle |
23 |
2018 A-10 Men's Swimming & Diving Preseason Poll
(number in parentheses includes first-place votes) |
| 1. |
George Washington (5) |
60 |
| 2. |
La Salle (1) |
54 |
| 3. |
Massachusetts (1) |
51 |
| 4. |
Fordham (1) |
38 |
| 5. |
Saint Louis |
24 |
| 6. |
George Mason |
23 |
| 7. |
St. Bonaventure |
21 |
| 8. |
Davidson |
17 |
