Women's Swim & Dive picked first in preseason poll

SOMERSET, N.J. – The Bryant University women's swimming and diving team has been picked to win its third-straight Northeast Conference title in a vote of nine league coaches announced on Thursday.

Bryant received six of a possible nine first-place votes to grab the top spot in the NEC Preseason Poll. The Black and Gold won their first title in 2018 and followed it with a second this past winter.

The Bulldogs won a program-record 13 gold medals and 22 total medals on their way to another dominating victory in 2019. Bryant also took home four of the six diving medals on the week.

Bryant will be led this winter by the return of Alaina Scifo (Ipswich, Great Britain), Heather Wong (Ramsey, N.J.), Alyssa DiFiore (Wethersfield, Conn.) and Gabrielle Ritzer (Sutton, Mass.). Scifo won seven total medals, including gold in the 200 back and 500 free, Wong won gold in both the 100 and 200 breast, DiFiore won three medals and Ritzer medaled in both the 1 and 3-meter dive.

The Black and Gold open the 2019-20 season on Friday, Oct. 11 when they welcome Boston College to the Chace Athletic Center Pool.