Nov. 16, 2009

Newport News, Va. - Fordham University freshman swimmer Brienne Ryan (New Windsor, N.Y./Cornwall) earned the first weekly awards of her career today, as she was named Atlantic 10 Women's Swimming Performer & Rookie of the Week, for the week ending November 15th.

In just her fourth collegiate meet, Ryan established a program record in the 100-yard backstroke on November 11th with a time of 55.93 as Fordham earned a 163-74 win over Stony Brook. The previous mark was 56.33 by Erika Newell in 2005. She also won the 50 freestyle and 200 backstroke events against the Seawolves.

At the Princeton "Big Al" Open, Ryan opened the 400-yard medley relay with a time of 55.84 in the 100-yard backstroke, bettering her school record performance, and posted a season-best time of 24.20 in the 50-yard freestyle. She also placed second in the 200-yard backstroke (2:03.94) and swam a leg on four relays that registered season-best times.

Ryan and the rest of the Fordham swimming & diving teams will next be in action on Saturday, November 21st, when they host their annual tri-meet with Duquesne and Rhode Island, beginning at 12:30 PM in the Col. Francis B. Messmore Aquatic Center.