Senior Karolina Bazylewicz

NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – The Niagara University swimming and diving teams open their 2004-05 seasons Saturday when they begin a three-meet homestand in the Oxy Aquatic Center on the Niagara University campus.

First up for the Purple Eagles is Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference opponent Fairfield. The meet begins at noon. On Sunday, the women’s swimming and diving teams hosts Vermont and Youngstown State at noon.

The Fairfield meet will be the season opener for both squads. The Purple Eagle men’s team fell short last year against the Stags, losing 57-56, in Loudonville, N.Y. The women’s team lost to Fairfield, 73-38.

Vermont enters Sunday’s meet 1-0 after defeating St. Francis (Pa.), 142-120, on Oct. 9. Youngstown State will be looking for its first victory of the season after dropping meets to Marshall, 210-90, and Radford, 159-140, in Huntington, W.Va., Oct. 17. The Purple Eagles will be swimming for a pair of victories after losing to the Catamounts, 165-71, and the Penguins, 55-40, last year.

Niagara returns 20 letterwinners, including 13 women and seven men, and welcome 19 freshmen. The Purple Eagles women are led by senior co-captains Christen Kane (Lockport, N.Y./Lockport), Karolina Bazylewicz (Buffalo, N.Y./Hutch Tech) and Traci Liberi. The men are lead by senior co-captain Nate Katz (Niagara Falls, N.Y./Niagara Falls) and junior Andy Farnham (Sanborn, N.Y./Niagara Wheatfield). The Purple Eagles are under the guidance of second-year head coach Pete Thompson.

The Purple Eagles men’s squad is coming off a sixth-place finish at last season’s Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championships, while the women placed seventh.