Swimming Heads to Conference Championships

Feb. 14, 2005

The Florida Atlantic University swim teams will head to their first Sun Belt Conference Championships this week in Little Rock, Arkansas. The men will fight for the first SBC Title as the conference is sponsoring the sport for the first season.

After participating in the National Independent Conference last season the team became the first FAU sport to become a full member of the Sun Belt Conference. Head coach Steve Eckelkamp will guide the men's and women's team into unchartered waters. This will be the first conference that the team has been a member.

Sophomore Geni Burts enters the week as the team leader. The Pembroke Pines, FL native currently holds the fastest time in the conference in the 500 free (4:56.71), 1000 free (10:15.88) and 400 IM (4:24.58).

As a freshman, Ellie Weberg participated in the NCAA Championships after posting a NCAA `B' cut time in the 100 breast last season. This year she has posted the second fastest time in the 100 breast (1:05.56) and holds the top spot in the 200 breast with a time of 2:20.51.

Senior captain Valeria Dalmastro posted a time of 24.06 in the 50 free at the Georgia Tech Invite in November to lead the Sun Belt.

The women's team will compete against Denver, Western Kentucky, North Texas, New Mexico State, Florida International, Arkansas Little Rock and New Orleans.

With four team's in the hunt for the first ever Sun Belt Conference men's swimming championship, FAU looks to defeat Denver, Western Kentucky and the University of Louisiana-Monroe to claim the title.

Kenny Anderson leads the Sun Belt with a time of 49.71 in the 100 butterfly. He posted the time at the Georgia Tech Invite and is one second faster than ULM's Marius Cosma.

In the sprint freestyle events, FAU has several swimmers in the top 10. In the 50 free, the Owls hold the fourth through seventh spots. Eren Onurlu leads the group with a time of 20.97 followed by Pavel Babaev (21.02), Rich Marzonie (21.33) and Kenny Anderson (21.40).

Onurlu also holds the third fastest time in the 100 free with a time of 45.15 and Anderson follows in fifth (45.40).

The meet runs from February 17-19 and is hosted by the University of Arkansas Little Rock.

Calendar

Upcoming Events

Players Mentioned

Kenny Anderson

Pavel Babaev

Geni Burts

Eren Onurlu

Elle Weberg

Upcoming Events

Upcoming Event: Swimming & Diving versus Patriot Invitational on November 19, 2025 at All Day

Upcoming Event: Swimming & Diving versus CSCAA Open Water National Championship on December 13, 2025 at All Day

Upcoming Event: Swimming & Diving at Cincinnati / Miami (W) on December 15, 2025 at 11 a.m.

Upcoming Event: Swimming & Diving versus Old Dominion / Rice (W) on December 20, 2025 at 10 a.m.

Upcoming Event: Swimming & Diving versus North Texas (Women Only) on January 9, 2026 at 10 a.m.

Upcoming Event: Swimming & Diving versus St. Thomas on January 17, 2026 at 11 a.m.

Florida Atlantic University Athletics