Junior Danielle Hayes finished 15th in the 200 back at the MAAC Championships.

NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – The Niagara University men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams finished in sixth and seventh place, respectively at the 2004 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championships at Loyola College in Baltimore, Md. Saturday.

The men’s team scored 243 points and Rider won the MAAC title with 877 points. The women’s squad tallied 231 points and Marist captured the league title with 820.50 points.

Junior Brian Griffin broke the school record in the 200 breaststroke twice Saturday. In the preliminary race, Griffin swam a 2:07.44. In the finals, he swam a 2:07.09, finished third and qualified for the ECAC Championship.

Sophomore Kevin Klein qualified for ECACs in five events. He broke the school record and placed fourth in the 200 backstroke with a time o f 1:56.11.

Junior Traci Liberi finished third and qualified for ECACs in the 100 free with a time of 54.33.

Niagara’s women’s 400 free relay squad of Liberi, Stacie Thoman, Heather Link and Jody Pangburn placed seventh in a time of 3:42.90 and qualified to ECACs.

Freshman Dave Germin finished sixth in one-meter diving with 173.75 points. Junior Danielle Hayes placed 15th in the 200 back (2:22.79). Classmate Nate Katz was 11th in the 100 free (49.27) and junior Karolina Bazylewiez was ninth in the 200 breaststroke (2:33.26). The men’s 400 free relay team of Klein, Katz, Brandon Smith and Andy Farnham placed sixth (3:17.48).