BY Canisius College Athletics,

The Canisius College swimming and diving team participates in the 2008 MAAC Championships hosted by Loyola College Thursday through Saturday. The event will take place at the Mangione Aquatic Center in Baltimore.

During the last three years at the conference meet under Laura Trzybinski, the Griffs have broken 26 school records – seven in 2005, 10 in 2006 and 12 in 2007. The Canisius men’s team set a school record with 220 points at the 2006 meet as both teams finished eighth at last year’s competition.

Junior Kevin O’Donnell (Tonawanda, N.Y.) finished second in the 100 breaststroke at last year’s conference meet, which stood as the best finish by a Golden Griffin at the MAACs in the last 10 seasons. O’Donnell also finished fourth in the 200 breaststroke and 15th in the 100 freestyle. Senior Zack Jenkins (Springfield, Mass.) was a part of six records at the 2007 MAACs – two individual and four relays. Jenkins finished in the top 16 in three events.

On the women’s side, senior diver Kaeli Abdo (Springville, N.Y.) looks to build off her perfect dual-meet record as Abdo finished 10th in the 1-meter and seventh in the 3-meter at last year’s MAAC Championships. Senior Jessie Hall (Niagara Falls, N.Y.) finished fifth in the 100 breaststroke at the 2007 MAACs, which was the best finish by a female Canisius swimmer in the last three years.

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