From NYU Athletics

New York University's men's swimming & diving team is in first with 182 points after the opening session of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championships, which are being held Friday-Sunday, December 5-7, at the Nassau County Aquatic Center in East Meadow, NY.

Freshman Austin Palmer won the 1,650-yard freestyle with a NCAA-qualifying time of 15:34.71, setting NYU team and ECAC Championship records. Palmer also set a 1,000-yard NYU record (9:23.96) during this competition, beating the previous record of 9:34.39 which was set by Paul Hogan in the 2008-09 season.

Stevens Institute of Technology (152 points) is in second place in the nine-team competition.

HIGHLIGHTS:

- Freshman Adam Betts, senior captain Matt Kendall, freshman Chad Moody, and senior captain Jerry Crowley participated on the winning 200-yard medley relay team (1:31.47), achieving a NCAA cut and setting new NYU team and ECAC Championship records.

"I am really excited with our performance tonight, and I am looking forward to tomorrow," said Head Coach Trevor Miele.

- Senior divers Austen Blease (532.60) and Brian Blum (421.95) placed first and third, respectively, in the three-meter trials, both achieving NCAA-qualifying scores. Blease broke the previous 11-dive three-meter NYU team record of 495.00 set in the 1995-96 season.

"I really couldn't be happier with the results from this group of divers," said Diving Coach Scott Donie. "All of our competing divers achieved NCAA-qualifying scores, a first for our program."