RICHMOND, Va. (Feb. 22, 2011) - The 2011 CAA Swimming and Diving Championships are set to begin Wednesday afternoon at George Mason's Jim McKay Natatorium in Fairfax, Va. The four-day conference meet will conclude Saturday evening.

The UNC Wilmington men will vie for an unprecedented 10th-straight CAA championship this week, while the Towson women look to join Mason as only the second league team to win four straight conference titles.

Leading the charge for the Seahawk men at this year's event will be seniors Bobby Guntoro and Kobi Salinas. Guntoro has turned in the league's top time in the 100 back this season in addition to recording the third fastest times in the 100 fly and 200 back. Salinas, who made a name for himself by sweeping the diving events as a rookie in 2008, enters the meet as one of only two divers whose scores rank among the CAA's top three on both boards this season. The Seahawks have also been dominant in relay action this year and head to the conference meet touting the league's top times in three of five relay events.

After finishing as runner-ups to the Seahawks for the conference title in five of the past seven seasons, the Patriots look to finally prevail in their home waters this year. Mason will be led by two-time defending 500 free, 1650 free and 400 IM champion in junior Preston Walter, who recorded the league's second-fastest time in each of the three events in the regular season. Representing Mason in the diving well will be junior standout Bryan Bahr, a three-time meet champion who is poised to make another run at a pair of titles after securing the CAA's top scores in 1- and 3-meter diving this season.

Old Dominion has also positioned itself as a strong contender to end the Seahawks' nine-year streak. The Monarchs boast the CAA's top times in nine of 13 individual races and have tallied the fastest times in two relays this season. Versatile junior Arni Arnason, who has captured four conference titles in his first two years and looks to lock up a third straight in the 200 breast, has turned in top times in both breaststroke events and another in the 200 IM this year. Sophomore Jason Brame has come onto the scene in just his second year and looks to go the distance this week after recording the league's fastest times in the 1650 free and 400 IM this season. They will be joined by freshman Sidni Hoxha, who posted the fastest time in the 50 free in 2010-11.

Other notable men's returnees in Fairfax this week include Drexel seniors Armagan Yavuz and Ian Jevnick. Yavuz, who recorded the league's fastest time in the 200 breast by nearly two seconds this season, looks to complete his collegiate career with a fourth-straight CAA title in the event. Defending 3-meter gold medalist Jevnick registered a score just three-tenths shy of Bahr's top showing this year, which should make for a great show in the well this week.

On the women's side, Towson will be led by senior standout Meredith Budner. The three-time defending champion in the 500 free, 1650 free and 400 IM is poised to break out the brooms for a four-year sweep after setting meet records in all three events last season. Classmate Kayla Zeller and freshman Shelby Witham will bolster Budner's efforts as part of the Tigers' dominant distance free corps. Junior Caroline Baker, whose scores on both boards rank among the CAA's top five, looks to become the first ever Tiger diver to capture a conference gold.

Following their runner-up finish at the conference meet a year ago, UNC Wilmington looks to contend once again behind a well-balanced squad with strong sprint and relay units. Sophomore Carly Tanner has recorded the third-fastest time in the 50 free this season, while junior Anna Munger has tallied top-five times in the 50 and 100 free. The Seahawks were tops in the league in the 200 free relay this season and posted the second-fastest times in the 200 and 400 medley relays.

Versatile junior Ashley Danner and her Mason squad look to make a splash in their home waters this week. The two-time defending league champion in the 200 IM and both breaststroke events, Danner set meet records in all three events a year ago and owns top times in the 100 and 200 breast this season. The Patriots have also been strong in relay action, combining for the league's top times in the medley relays and ranking among the three-fastest squads in the 400 and 800 free relays.

Old Dominion owns the fastest times in five individual races this season, with the other eight individual top times belonging to either Budner or Danner. Sophomore Jessica Hubert has clocked top times in both fly events, while senior April Barrientos and sophomore Kimberly Rashleigh rank among the league's three fastest in the 100 and 200 back. Junior Erla Haraldsdottir will help lead the Lady Monarchs with her top time in the 200 IM and strong finishes in the breastroke races this season.

James Madison also hopes to make waves at this year's conference meet behind a talented diving corps. The Dukes, who have three divers with top-five scores on each board this season, will be led by Kimberly Helfrich. The sophomore seems poised to pick up gold in 3-meter diving after posting a score that is nearly 30 points higher than the league's second-best finisher this season. She will be joined in the well by junior Nicole Jotso, who was tops in the CAA on the 1-meter board in the regular season, and a solid senior in Jessie Everett.

More information about the 2011 conference championship can be found on our championship page. Live results are also available here. Stay tuned to CAASports.com for a recap with video highlights following each night of action at this week's conference meet.