SPRINGFIELD, Mass.-- March 7, 2008 – The NCAA announced on Friday afternoon that six student athletes from Springfield College had qualified for the upcoming 2008 NCAA Division III Men's Swimming and Diving Championships.

The Championships will be held at Miami University's Corwin M. Nixon Aquatic Center in Oxford, Ohio. The College of Wooster will serve as the host during the weekend of March 20-22.

Concluding his career as Springfield, Roy Burch (Warwick, Bermuda) looks to make his final trip to the Championships a memorable one as he will compete in five events at the NCAA's. Burch will compete individually in the 50 freestyle, the 100 freestyle, and the 100 backstroke. In the 50 free, Burch is seeded fourth (20.54), while in the 100 free he is ranked 12th (45.49). In the 100 backstroke, the senior is seeded sixth (51.28).

Greg Pearsall (Litchfield, Conn.) will also compete in the 50 free and is seeded 12th (20.80).

NEWMAC Diver of the Year Ben Casavant (Acton, Mass.) returns to the NCAA Championshps after claming both the one and three meter diving events at the NEWMAC Championships last weekend.

A pair of relays also qualified for the NCAA Championships as the 200 freestyle relay and 400 freestyle relay's will compete. Entering the Championships, the 200 freestyle relay team of Matt Manoni (Brookfield, Mass.), Andrew Blakesley (West Springfield, Mass.), Pearsall, and Burch is seeded third with a time of 1:22.63.

The 400 freestyle relay team of Manoni, Burch, Pearsall, and Anthony Bruno (Southbury, Conn.) enters the meet as the 12th seed with a time of 3:04.62.

Freshman Brian Sobol (Stratford, Conn.) was one of three divers in the country to be named an alternate in the diving competition.

published: 03/07/2008