Right before the final event of the 2008 Eastern College Athletic Conference swimming and diving championships in Pittsburgh, Pa. last Sunday, coach Jim Zotz gathered his 400-yard men's freestyle relay team for words of encouragement after the group came off a strong individual performance in the University Athletic Association Championships the previous weekend."I didn't think the qualifying times would be as fast as they were, so I told [the relay team] before the race, if you could repeat what you guys did at UAAs, you have a real shot to finish in the top eight," Zotz said.

The squad of James Liu '10, Jon Eskow '08, Mike Rubin '09 and Nick Rice '08 did just that, finishing in eighth place in 3 minutes, 12.90 seconds. The Judges' total of 32 points placed them 20th overall and second among Division III squads at the three-day tournament.

"It was definitely my best race of the weekend," captain Jon Eskow '08 said. "Being senior and being captain of the team, it's just been a long four years but [it's] really good to end like this. I'm really proud to leave the team where it is today."

Brandeis also reached the final round in the men's 800- and 200-yard freestyle relays, in which it placed 16th and 13th, respectively, and the women's 200-yard breaststroke, in which Hollis Viray '10 placed eighth.

The 400-yard freestyle relay squad's preliminary time of 3:13.68 was barely enough to qualify for the final round, and though the squad finished in last place among the eight finalists, players were happy with the finish.

"I've always liked competing in the relay, it's the last event, everyone gets really excited for it, and it was my last race [as a senior] and to get to anchor it was fun," Rice said. "I definitely swam differently knowing it was my last race. You really get up for it."

Viray also reached the final eight in her event after finishing in seventh place in the preliminary round in 2:29.43.

She improved her time to 2:29.32 in the final round, and though she was last among the eight finalists, she was happy with her performance.

"It was really exciting to finish eighth; I wasn't expecting to place that high," Viray said. "I really like competing against higher competition. It's a great opportunity to swim against Division I swimmers."

No men's swimmer qualified for the finals in individual events, as Liu came closest with an 18th-place finish in the 200-yard butterfly preliminaries.

On the women's side, Rachel Sawicki '10 was the only other Brandeis woman to compete in the weekend's championships, but did not reach the finals in any event after setting school records in the 100- and 200-yard butterfly events at the UAA championships Feb. 21 to 23.

"It's something special when you qualify for ECACs," Zotz said. "At UAAs you don't have to qualify necessarily, so it's nice that everyone on the team competes, but once you up the ante it becomes a little more special, and I think that people respond to that. Of course being at that high level competition brings the best out of your athletes."

Top diver Charlotte Rea '08 did not compete at the ECAC Championships, and her status for the NCAA Championships March 20 to 23 is still uncertain.

Rea recorded the necessary qualifying scores for the NCAA Championships three different times throughout the season, but divers are accepted to the NCAA Championships on the basis of recording qualifying scores as well as a personal video of their best dives, determined by a national panel.

"I would love for her to make it, but in discussion with our diving coach, he doesn't believe he has real good video of her weaker dives so that's really our concern," Zotz said. "My hope is that as a senior and someone who has been through this process before there would be some sentimentality that goes into their decision, but I just don't know."

The Judges' season is now complete, and while both the men's and women's teams finished in last place for the third consecutive season,

Viray and Sawicki broke different school records, and Liu staked his claim as the men's team's top swimmer.

Rea, Rice and Eskow are among five seniors on the two teams who will graduate, but everyone else is expected to be back next season.

Liu, Bennett, Morse and Eli Tukachinsky '11 highlight the returnees on the men's side, while Viray and Sawicki should continue to lead the women's swimming team as they enter their junior seasons next year.