Official psych sheet
Championship site
ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Martie Staser, Nazareth's women's swimming coach, is eight months pregnant, but that couldn't keep her from accompanying her three qualifiers to this week's NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championships at the University of Minnesota.

Nazareth has three competitors -- two swimmers and one diver -- for the first time ever and Staser believes that all are capable of competing for All-American honors.

"The travel was a little uncomfortable, but I didn't want to miss it," said Staser, who has sent swimmers to the national meet in all six seasons she has coached at Nazareth and coached Emily Lesher to a national title in the 400 IM in 2007. "They're all very excited and ready to go."

Lindsey Buzard, who graduated in December, will represent the Golden Flyers as a diver, while senior Lauren McKinney and freshman Carissa Risucci will compete in three events each. Competition begins Wednesday and runs through Saturday.

Lindsey Buzard, sr. diver from Perry, N.Y. (Perry High School) -- Buzard is Nazareth's first national qualifier in women's diving since Hall of Famer Kama Grattet won three national titles in 1984 and 1985. Buzard was named Diver of the Meet at the Upper New York State Collegiate Swimming Association championships Feb. 18-20 after scoring 430.85 in the 3-meter diving event and 383.90 in the 1-meter event. Buzard didn't start diving competitively until her sophomore year of high school, but "each year I've gotten just a little bit better," she said. "Coach (Dave) Marsh has been great to work with. He's really the first diving coach I've had. He's very mechanical and just wants you to do the best you can."
Buzard actually graduated from Nazareth in December with a degree in Spanish and is teaching in the Rochester City School District. "It's kind of crazy when I think about it," she said, "but exciting, too."
Buzard competes Thursday in the 1-meter event and Saturday in the 3-meter.

Lauren McKinney, sr. swimmer from Watertown, N.Y. (Watertown High School) -- McKinney's star-studded career at Nazareth has been highlighted by several school records and all-conference awards. Now in her third trip to the national meet, she's hoping to add All-American honors to her impressive resume of accomplishments. She is seeded 15th in the 200 IM (2:07.70) and hopes to finish in the top 16 in that event or in the 100- and 200-yard butterflies to become an All-American. She came close last season, placing 17th in the 200 fly, 18th in the 200 IM and 25th in the 100 fly.
"Swimming at the nationals is an atmosphere like no other," she said. "I'm feeling more confident than in the past, so I just want to go out and swim as hard as I can and make sure that I don't leave anything behind."
McKinney competes Wednesday in the 200 IM; Thursday in the 100 fly; and Friday in the 200 fly.

Carissa Risucci, fr. swimmer from Deerfield, N.Y. (Whitesboro High School) -- A club swimmer for 11 years before coming to Nazareth, Risucci admits that the competitive nature of collegiate swimming has been exciting. She qualified automatically for the national meet in both the 100- and 200-yard breaststrokes and is seeded seventh and third, respectively in those events with times of 1:04.74 and 2:18.32. She also will compete in the 200 IM. "I've just tried to keep a positive outlook and not get too freaked out," said Risucci, who was named Rookie of the Meet at the UNYSCSA meet. "When I came to Nazareth I didn't know what to expect, but the experience has been tremendous."
Risucci swims the 200 IM Wednesday, the 100 breaststroke Friday and the 200 breaststroke Saturday.