CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The Bentley University men's and women's swimming and diving teams launched their season Saturday by recording one second-place finish and nine thirds during the Batterman Relays at MIT.
The lone second came in the women's 200 yard backstroke relay with the quartet of freshman Danielle Hellstern (Southbury, Conn./Pomperaug HS), sophomores Caroline Lewis (Westfield/ Westfield HS) and Amy Shin (Lancaster/Nashoba Reg. HS) and junior Taryn Dooley (Feeding Hills/ Agawam HS) combining for a time of 1:57.07.
The third place finishes for the Bentley women came in the 500 free crescendo relay (4:56.24), the 200 butterfly relay (1:54.85), the 400 freestyle relay (3:53.86), the 400 freestyle IM relay (4:29.00) and the 200 breaststroke relay (2:12.13).
Junior All-America Jessica Hodsdon (Brewer, Maine/Brewer HS) was a member of each of those, with the exception of the 400 free. She swam with Hellstrom, sophomore Heather Exley (Oceanside, Calif./Vista HS) and freshman Nadine Edwards (Danbury, Conn./Danbury HS) on the 500 free crescendo, and with Shin, senior Molly Murphy (Horseheads, N.Y./Watkins Glen HS) and sophomore Kellen Power (San Jose, Calif./Valley Christian HS) on the 200 fly relay.
Hodsdon was partnered with Exley, Murphy and sophomore Amelia Suda (Monroe, Conn./ Masuk HS) in the 400 free IM, and was with Exley, Murphy and senior Susie Boretti (Westford/Westford Academy) in the 200 breaststroke.
Bentley's 400 free relay team consisted of Hellstern, Shin, Edwards and Powers.
On the men's side, Bentley recorded third place finishes in four relays. In the 200 back, freshman Josh Witty (Los Gatos, Calif./Los Gatos HS), sophomore Chris Woods (Westfield/Westfield HS), senior Patrick Ryan (Sudbury/Lincoln-Sudbury Reg. HS) and David Curran (Danbury, Conn./ Danbury HS) combined for a time of 1:46.97.
In the 400 free relay, seniors Joe Frantel (Canandaigua, N.Y./Marcus Whitman HS) and Matt Wessels (Epsom, N.H./Bishop Brady HS) combined with sophomores Philip Chan (Wilmette, Ill./New Trier HS) and Steve Sylvia (Westerly, R.I./Westerly HS) for a time of 3:26.58.
Juniors Tyler Champagne (Orange, Conn./Amity Reg. HS) and Mike Culkin (Avon, Conn./Avon HS) combined with senior Erik Stricker (Long Valley, N.J./West Morris Central HS) for a 15:59.46 in the 3x500 free relay.
Bentley's 200 breast relay, which finished in 1:59.69, included Chan, sophomore Peter Belanger (Andover/Andover HS), freshman Connor Mulvey-Hudson (Ardmore, Pa./St. Joseph's Prep) and Wessels.
MIT captured first place in every event, and Wheaton College also participated.
Bentley's first dual meet of the 2011-12 season is next Saturday at Le Moyne.
