Pirates Kick Off 2016-17 With Home Meet vs SPU, MSU

South Orange, N.J. - The sky is the limit for the Seton Hall men's & women's swimming & diving teams, which both return a plethora of experienced talent while infusing new, young and talented student-athletes that will help the squads compete for the 2017 BIG EAST Championship. The teams will open the 2016-17 campaign on Friday in a tri-meet against Saint Peter's and Montclair State at Imperattore Natatorium at 4 p.m.

The men's team, which finished third in the BIG EAST last season, is returning eight student-athletes that garnered All-BIG EAST honors in 2016, including junior Noah Yanchulis (Arnold, Md.), who was the BIG EAST Championship Most Outstanding Male Swimmer after netting the most points of anyone at the meet. He won the 200 and 500 freestyle conference championships and finished with 57 points. Fellow BIG EAST title winners Lior Grubert (Yehud-Monosson, Israel) and Matt Zebrowski (Sayreville, N.J.).

The women's team, which placed fourth in the BIG EAST in 2016, returns All-BIG EAST performer Sydney Simpson (Tallahassee, Fla.), who delivered a conference championship in the 100 breastroke and a runner-up finish in the 200 breaststroke. Also back is 2015 All-BIG EAST selection Melody Bush, who was a bronze medalist in the 50 backstroke that season.

All meets at Imperattore Natatorium are free to attend. In addition, the Pirate Sports Network will broadcast the Oct. 29 meet vs. Providence.