ORONO, Maine – University of Maine men's and women's swimming team had three student-athletes inducted into honor societies recently. Victoria Kingston (Bradford, Ontario) and Marsha Pominova (Bedford, Mass.) were selected to the Sophomore Eagles, while Berkay Payal (Kocaeli, Turkey) was inducted into the Sophomore Owls.
Kingston is an accounting major who primarily swims the butterfly. At the America East Championships, she placed 12th in the 200-yard butterfly with a time of 2:09.65 and 13th in the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 57.96.
Pominova is an economics major who also swim both the butterfly and freestyle. At the 2015 America East Championships, she swam the 50 freestyle, the 100-yard butterfly and the 100-yard freestyle.
The first eleven Sophomore Eagles were chosen in December 1926 on the basis of character, scholarship, leadership, friendliness, and participation in college activities. The "Sophomore Eagles" name was created to be a counterpart to the Owls and chose a blue star as their symbol. Just as with the Skulls, AMW and Owls, the Eagle's role has changed with the times and today partners with these groups on a variety of activities.
Payal is a computer and electrical engineering major in the honors college. He swims primarily the breaststroke. He recorded a second place finish in the 200-yard breaststroke at Rhode Island and a fourth place finish in the 100-yard breaststroke in the same meet. He finished fifth and sixth respectively in the 100 and 200-yard breaststroke in a meet against Bryant.
The Sophomore Owls Society is an honors organization dedicated to community service at UMaine and in surrounding communities. The Senior Skulls started the Sophomore Owls in 1911 and then, as now, the Owl's mission is to aid First Year men in the adaptation process to the University of Maine and to promote and exemplify excellent citizenship and University spirit on campus.
The University of Maine is celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2015. In conjunction with this, the athletic department will celebrate 150 student-athletes achievements over the next year.
