Three Bulldogs compete at U.S. Nationals

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Three members of the Bryant University swimming teams will compete in the U.S. Nationals from December 1-3 in Atlanta, Ga. Senior Alex Kosenski (Lavallette, N.J.), junior Casey Ostrander (Yarmouthport, Mass.) and sophomore Taylor DeBever (Denver, Colo.) all met qualification times over the past year in order to compete in the meet.

A winner of eight events already this season, Kosenski will compete in the 100 and 200 free events on Friday and Saturday. Needing to meet 45.39 and 1:39.49 standards, Kosenski exceeded both at last year's ECAC Swimming and Diving Championships. He set school records in both events, touching the wall with a time of 45.29 in the 100 free and 1:38.68 in the 200 free. His top times this year are 46.40 and 1:42.45 – both were set at the Terrier Invitational two weekends ago.

Ostrander, a three-time NEC Swimmer of the Week so far this season, will compete in the 100 and 200 back events. The Massachusetts native qualified for the U.S. Nationals with record-setting swims at the Northeast Conference Championships this past February. She needed to break 56.69 in the 100 back and she touched the wall in 55.63. Ostrander qualified for the 200 back 2:00.76, beating the qualifying time by over a whole second. Her top times in the two events this year are 58.44 in the 100 back and 2:10.01 in the 200 back.

In just her second year in Smithfield, DeBever will join the two upperclassmen in Georgia. A native of Denver, Colorado, DeBever will compete in the 200 free. She qualified by setting a school record last year at the NEC Championships. DeBever touched the wall with a time of 1:49.98, just beating the qualifying time of 1:50.09.

All of the events will be conducted in a long-course meter pool, allowing the three Bulldog swimmers an opportunity to qualify for Olympic trial qualifying cuts.

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