Junior Laura Montes (San Juan, PR/Academia San Jose) is the vice president of education and certification on the Athletes Executive Council (AEC), while freshman Amanda Chils (Lakeland, FL/George Jenkins) will be one of two collegiate representatives from around the nation. Junior Jenna Swinkin (Hamden, CT/Hamden) and freshman Christiana Butera (San Diego, CA/Academy of Our Lady of Peace) are holding roles as the lone two East Zone representatives, and second-year head coach Rebecca Story is the collegiate chair.

Amanda Chils

Laura Montes

After serving numerous prior roles, Montes enters her first year on the AEC, which is comprised of seven officers and has the authority to act on behalf of the Athletes Committee between meetings. Each AEC member serves a two-year term and is a former member of a standing committee within their area of responsibility.

Chils was recently selected to serve her first year of a two-year term as a collegiate representative. Two student-athletes hold the roles, which were voted upon at the U.S. Collegiate Championship in March. During her second year, she will be responsible for voting on issues raised by the USSS's Board of Governors.

Jenna Swinkin

Christiana Butera

In their positions, Butera and Swinkin will represent the East Zone, which is comprised of each New England state, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and part of Ohio. Butera was elected during March's East Collegiate Regional Championship, while Swinkin will enter the second year of a two-year term. The second-year representative votes upon matters brought up by the USSS's Board of Governors.

Rebecca Story

Story was voted into office in March and will be responsible for running all collegiate meetings held at the U.S. Collegiate Championship and the United States Aquatic Sports (USAS) Convention. She will also be involved in long-range planning and setting goals for the USSS.

As members of the Athletes Committee, all four Lyons and their coach will attend September's USAS Convention in Chicago. Those eligible will vote upon such issues as rules changes and other decisions critical to synchronized swimming. Within the organization, athletes comprise 20 percent of final votes.

The Wheaton College synchronized swimming team had seven athletes compete on Thursday in the preliminary rounds of the U.S. National Championship at Stanford University. Wheaton's team routine turned in a 14th-place showing, as senior Sharada Strasmore (Weston, CT/Weston), juniors Laura Montes (San Juan, PR/Academia San Jose) and Jenna Swinkin (Hamden, CT/Hamden), and freshmen Christiana Butera (San Diego, CA/Academy of Our Lady of Peace), Amanda Chils (Lakeland, FL/George Jenkins), Rachel Cordo (Wayzata, MN/Wayzata) and Anastasia Hare (Buffalo, NY/Buffalo Seminary) each performed. During the solo competition, Montes and Strasmore tied each other for 24th with 82.000 points, coming within 2.167 points of a swimmer from regional heavyweight Canisius College. Butera and Chils tied for 24th in the duet, while Cordo and Swinkin tied for 28th. The Lyons had last sent an athlete to the national meet in 2007, when Montes competed in solo. Wheaton most recently performed a duet in 2002 and a team routine in 1996.

Wheaton's team routine turned in a 14th-place showing with 82.167 points, as senior Sharada Strasmore (Weston, CT/Weston), juniors Laura Montes (San Juan, PR/Academia San Jose) and Jenna Swinkin (Hamden, CT/Hamden), and freshmen Christiana Butera (San Diego, CA/Academy of Our Lady of Peace), Amanda Chils (Lakeland, FL/George Jenkins), Rachel Cordo (Wayzata, MN/Wayzata) and Anastasia Hare (Buffalo, NY/Buffalo Seminary) each performed.

During the solo competition, Montes and Strasmore tied each other for 24th with 82.000 points, coming within 2.167 points of a swimmer from regional heavyweight Canisius College. Butera and Chils totaled 81.833 points while tying for 24th in the duet, while Cordo and Swinkin tallied 80.000 points in tying for 28th place.

The Lyons had last sent an athlete to the national meet in 2007, when Montes competed in solo. Wheaton most recently performed a duet in 2002 and a team routine in 1996.

The Lyon competitors will take part only in the preliminary rounds, as senior Sharada Strasmore (Weston, CT/Weston), juniors Laura Montes (San Juan, PR/Academia San Jose) and Jenna Swinkin (Hamden, CT/Hamden), and freshmen Christiana Butera (San Diego, CA/Academy of Our Lady of Peace), Amanda Chils (Lakeland, FL/George Jenkins), Rachel Cordo (Wayzata, MN/Wayzata) and Anastasia Hare (Buffalo, NY/Buffalo Seminary) are slated to participate.

Montes and Strasmore will each perform a solo routine, competing in a 33-athlete field, while the duos of Cordo/Swinkin and Butera/Chils are entered in the 32-tandem duet event. Each of Wheaton's seven competing swimmers will play a role in the 17-entrant team routine.

The Lyons last sent an athlete to the national meet in 2007, when Montes competed in solo. Wheaton most recently performed a duet in 2002 and a team routine in 1996.

As a team, Wheaton had tremendous success this season under second-year head coach Rebecca Story, winning four competitions, finishing among the top three during an additional trio of occasions, and extending its top-10 streak at the U.S. Collegiate Championship to 21 years after a ninth-place showing last month in San Antonio, Texas.

During the U.S. National Championship, more than 100 elite athletes will vie for titles in the solo, duet and team events in the nation's most prestigious competition. The meet will mark the 64th year of national competition in the duet and team routines and the 60th year of solo.

The Wheaton College synchronized swimming team placed among the top 10 squads at the U.S. Collegiate Championship for the 21st consecutive season when the three-day event came to an end on Saturday in San Antonio, Texas. The Lyons took ninth out of 22 scoring schools with 33.5 points, edging out regional foe Keuka College and its 31.5 points.

Freshman Amanda Chils (Lakeland, FL/George Jenkins) became the fourth Wheaton swimmer in the last six years to win the C figures competition at the meet, pacing a 57-athlete field. Freshman Rachel Cordo (Wayzata, MN/Wayzata) tied for 17th, while classmate Anastasia Hare (Buffalo, NY/Buffalo Seminary) took 21st. Among 53 athletes, senior Sharada Strasmore (Weston, CT/Weston) captured 11th in B figures, freshman Christiana Butera (San Diego, CA/Academy of Our Lady of Peace) was 16th, and junior Jenna Swinkin (Hamden, CT/Hamden) came in 29th. In A figures, junior Laura Montes (San Juan, PR/Academia San Jose) took 31st after coming in 43rd at last year's championship. Montes also had Wheaton's top showing in the routines segment of the meet, tying for eighth among 12 finalists in solo. The Lyons' team routine, performed by Butera, Chils, Cordo, Hare, Montes, Strasmore and Swinkin, earned a 10th-place finish. In duet, Butera and Chils took 12th.

Wheaton took ninth out of 22 scoring schools with 33.5 points, edging out regional foe Keuka College and its 31.5 points. The Ohio State University won the meet for the 25th time, tallying 98 points. The championship is an open-class meet, combining competition from NCAA Divisions I, II, and III and NAIA colleges and universities.

Chils notched 64.381 points during her C figures victory, pacing a 57-athlete field while outdistancing the runner up by 0.549 points, nearly matching the 0.579-point gap between the second- and fifth-place competitors. Freshman Rachel Cordo (Wayzata, MN/Wayzata) tied for 17th, while classmate Anastasia Hare (Buffalo, NY/Buffalo Seminary) took 21st.

Among 53 more athletes, senior Sharada Strasmore (Weston, CT/Weston) captured 11th in B figures with 68.117 points, while freshman Christiana Butera (San Diego, CA/Academy of Our Lady of Peace) was 16th at 66.634. Junior Jenna Swinkin (Hamden, CT/Hamden) came in 29th during the event.

In the A figures portion of the meet, junior Laura Montes (San Juan, PR/Academia San Jose) took 31st with 76.691 points after coming in 43rd at last year's championship. Montes also had Wheaton's top showing in the routines segment of the meet, tying for eighth among 12 finalists in solo, totaling 83.500 points to match a Keuka swimmer.

The Lyons' team routine, performed by Butera, Chils, Cordo, Hare, Montes, Strasmore and Swinkin, earned 85.083 points and a 10th-place finish, edging out Keuka's 11th-place team, which received 85.000 points. In duet, Butera and Chils were among 12 finals qualifiers, totaling 82.667 points during a 12th-place showing, while Butera, Chils and Montes took 13th in the trio semifinals, narrowly missing out on being among the 12 teams that competed in the final.

Should Wheaton have qualifiers, the next competition for Lyon athletes would be on April 30, as the three-day U.S. National Championship kicks off at Stanford University.

The Wheaton College synchronized swimming team finished one point behind second-place Keuka College at the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championship on Saturday, taking third among six teams and narrowly finishing short of the Storm for the second straight season.

A pair of Wheaton competitors took second in figures competitions, including senior Sharada Strasmore (Weston, CT/Weston) among 18 swimmers in the B category, coming within 0.029 points of the winner. Freshman Christiana Butera (San Diego, CA/Academy of Our Lady of Peace) was fourth. In C, freshman Amanda Chils (Lakeland, FL/George Jenkins) notched a runner-up showing, while classmates Anastasia Hare (Buffalo, NY/Buffalo Seminary) and Rachel Cordo (Wayzata, MN/Wayzata) were fifth and sixth, respectively. During the A figures competition, junior Laura Montes (San Juan, PR/Academia San Jose) took fifth before joining Butera, Chils, Cordo, Hare, Strasmore and junior Jenna Swinkin (Hamden, CT/Hamden) for a second-place showing in the team routine. Butera and Chils were the third-place duet tandem, while Cordo and Swinkin finished fourth. In trio, Butera, Chils and Montes tied Keuka for third, and a trio comprised of Cordo, Strasmore and Swinkin took fifth.

The Lyons, who came within two points of Keuka at last year's meet, totaled 79 points. Canisius College won the event with 102 points.

A pair of Wheaton competitors took second in figures competitions, including senior Sharada Strasmore (Weston, CT/Weston) among 18 swimmers in the B category, where she totaled 71.152 points, just 0.029 short of the winner from Canisius. Freshman Christiana Butera (San Diego, CA/Academy of Our Lady of Peace) was fourth.

In C, freshman Amanda Chils (Lakeland, FL/George Jenkins) notched a runner-up showing behind 67.887 points, trailing only a Canisius swimmer's total of 69.091. Classmates Anastasia Hare (Buffalo, NY/Buffalo Seminary) and Rachel Cordo (Wayzata, MN/Wayzata) were fifth and sixth, respectively.

During the A figures competition, junior Laura Montes (San Juan, PR/Academia San Jose) took fifth before joining Butera, Chils, Cordo, Hare, Strasmore and junior Jenna Swinkin (Hamden, CT/Hamden) for a second-place showing in the team routine. The Lyons totaled 86.250 points, edging out Keuka and its 85.000 points.

Butera and Chils combined for 83.750 as the third-place duet tandem, while Cordo and Swinkin notched 83.250 to finish just behind them in fourth. In trio, Butera, Chils and Montes tied Keuka for third with 84.750 points, trailing Canisius' second-place squad by 0.500 points. Another trio, this one comprised of Cordo, Strasmore and Swinkin, took fifth with 82.000 points.

Wheaton's athletes immediately turn their attention to the three-day U.S. Collegiate Championship, which kicks off on Thursday in San Antonio, Texas, at 8:00 a.m.

The Wheaton College synchronized swimming team posted its best East Collegiate Regional Championship finish in six years, standing second among eight teams when the two-day competition came to an end on March 8 at Keuka College. The Lyons, who placed behind Canisius College, had been third each of the past four years after tying for second in 2004 and taking second outright in 2003.

In trio, junior Laura Montes (San Juan, PR/Academia San Jose) joined freshmen Christiana Butera (San Diego, CA/Academy of Our Lady of Peace) and Amanda Chils (Lakeland, FL/George Jenkins) to take second, and senior Sharada Strasmore (Weston, CT/Weston), junior Jenna Swinkin (Hamden, CT/Hamden) and freshman Rachel Cordo (Wayzata, MN/Wayzata) finished fourth. During the duet competition, Butera and Chils combined for a second-place finish, while Cordo and Swinkin took fourth. Butera, Chils, Cordo, Montes, Strasmore, Swinkin and freshman Anastasia Hare (Buffalo, NY/Buffalo Seminary) combined on a second-place finish during the team routines. In the figures portion of the meet, Wheaton had strong showing in both the B and C categories. Strasmore won B, while Butera was second. Swinkin took seventh but came within 0.450 points of the top five. During C, Chils captured the top spot, Hare was third, and Cordo took fifth. Montes nabbed fifth in A figures.

The Lyons, who totaled 84 points, had placed third each of the past four years after tying for second in 2004 and most recently taking second outright in 2003. Canisius College outscored the Blue and White with a meet-best 99 points, while Keuka notched 76 to grab third. Wheaton scored critical points with a pair of top-four placements in both the duet and trio competitions while falling just shy of Canisius' top team routine.

In trio, junior Laura Montes (San Juan, PR/Academia San Jose) joined freshmen Christiana Butera (San Diego, CA/Academy of Our Lady of Peace) and Amanda Chils (Lakeland, FL/George Jenkins) to total 83.500 points, second only to Canisius' 87.833 points. The Golden Griffins also had the third-place performance, with 82.667 points, but another Wheaton trio was close behind in fourth, as senior Sharada Strasmore (Weston, CT/Weston), junior Jenna Swinkin (Hamden, CT/Hamden) and freshman Rachel Cordo (Wayzata, MN/Wayzata) accumulated 81.500 points.

During the duet competition, Butera and Chils combined for 82.833 points and a second-place finish, edging out a Keuka tandem's 82.000 points. The Lyons also captured fourth, with Cordo and Swinkin notching 78.667 points.

Butera, Chils, Cordo, Montes, Strasmore, Swinkin and freshman Anastasia Hare (Buffalo, NY/Buffalo Seminary) combined on a second-place finish during the team routines, totaling 83.583 points to finish behind a top Canisius squad that drew 87.333 points

In the figures portion of the meet, Wheaton had strong showing in both the B and C categories. Strasmore won B with 70.135 points, holding off Butera and her 69.157 points, which left the freshman second. Swinkin was seventh but came within 0.450 points of the top five. During C, Chils captured the top spot with 64.022 points, Hare was third with 62.146, and Cordo took fifth at 61.986. Montes nabbed fifth in A figures.

Wheaton takes two weeks off before hosting the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championship, a two-day meet that begins on March 21 in Balfour Natatorium.