Sophomore Mariah Glass

NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – The Niagara University swimming and diving teams open their 2005-06 seasons Friday at 4 p.m. when they host Duquesne University in the Oxy Aquatic Center on the Niagara University campus.

The women’s squad enters the season opener after posting a 9-8 overall record and 6-4 mark in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference last year. The men’s team was 5-7 and 5-2 in 2004-05.

Friday’s meet is also the season opener for Duquesne. The Dukes’ women’s team finished 8-8 overall and the men’s squad 3-9 a year ago.

Duquesne swept the Purple Eagles in last year’s meet in Pittsburgh. The women’s team won, 114-76, and the men, 107-67. For Niagara, freshman James Polito (Reading, Pa.) tied for first in the 50 free. Classmates Kevin Betts (Victor, N.Y.) and Kevin Palumbo (Greece, N.Y.) each registered career highs in the 200 free and 1,000 free, respectively. On the women’s side, sophomore Mariah Glass (Oswego, N.Y.) placed third in the 100 free.