2025 MAAC Championships Day 3 Recap

2025 MAAC Championships

• February 12-15, 2025
• Spire Academy, Geneva, OH
• Defending Champions: Niagara women (1x); Marist men (1x)
• SCY (25 yards)
• Championship Central
• Pysch Sheets
• Live Results
• SwimSwam Preview
• Day 1 Recap | Day 2 Recap

Day three of the 2025 MAAC Championships has concluded. On the men’s side, the race is super close between Niagara and Fairfield, while on the women’s side, Niagara held their sizeable point lead on the rest of the conference.

Women’s 100 fly

• Meet Record: 54.65 — Morgan Hansen (Faifield), 2020
• 2024 Champion: Ashley Benkert (Iona) — 56.18

1. Hope Ivanovich (Siena) — 54.49
2. Eydis Kolbeinsdottir (Marist) — 56.13
3. Maria Mitova (Niagara) — 56.21
4. Ashley Benkert (Iona) — 56.22
5. Lara Kisakol (Fairfield) — 56.40
6. Hannah Yemec (Rider) — 56.43
7. Melanie Sanchez (Sacred Heart) — 56.52
8. Sophia Swanson (Marist) — 57.01

Sophomore Hope Ivanovich pulled off an incredible win to give Siena its first win of the meet. Ivanovich had both the fastest front half and back half of the field. Her 54.49 victory nearly four seconds faster than she was at this meet last year, as well as a best time by about a half second.

Eydis Kolbeinsdottir, a graduate student from Marist, finished in second in 56.13. Her time from prelims, 56.08, was a new best time, beating out a 56.32 from the 2024 Patriot Invitational. 

Maria Mitova, a Niagara freshman, outtouched the defending champion Ashley Benkert by .01 to get third.

Men’s 100 fly

• Meet Record: 46.70 — Micah Ornelas (Bryant), 2019
• 2024 Champion: Ethan McCormac (Marist) — 47.94

1. Chris Dauser (Fairfield) — 47.57
2. Parker Koenig (Mt St Mary’s) — 47.78
3. Keller Fletcher (Marist) — 47.95
4. Tivon Benjamin (Rider) — 48.55
5. Alex Subotich (Niagara) — 48.85
6. Nicky Lane (Rider) — 49.11
7. Tristan Raso (ST Peters) — 49.20
8. Tim Engel (Marist) — 49.59

Fifth year Chris Dauser and sophomore Parker Koenig showed down for the victory in the men’s 100 fly. They split twin 22.18s on the way out, but it was Dauser that pulled off a faster back half to touch first. 

Dauser, who went to Marist for undergrad and now competes for Fairfield as a grad student, showed off the strides he made this year. Before today, his best time was 49.04. He lowered that 47.57 today.

Women’s 400 IM

• Meet Record: 4:17.55 — Priscilla Modrov (Rider), 2009
• 2024 Champion: Geneveive O’Neill (Marist) — 4:24.99

1. Chloe Vlaeminck (Niagara) — 4:20.87
2. Marty Divis (Niagara) — 4:21.55
3. Daphne Mead (CANC) — 4:23.71
4. Callie Gray (Fairfield) — 4:25.38
5. Sabrina Conrad (Marist) — 4:25.91
6. Carmen Del Aguila Martin (Mt St Mary’s) — 4:25.92
7. Shani Fridman (Niagara) — 4:25.98
8. Genevieve O’Neil (Marist) — 4:29.15

Niagara teammates Chloe Vlaeminck and Marty Divis raced head-to-head, with Vlaeminck coming on top thanks to a stronger breaststroke leg. It marked major best times for both competitors; Vlaeminck’s best time until today was 4:26.21, while Divis’ was 4:30.22. Behind them was Canisius’ Daphne Mead, who also turned in a best time by about three seconds.

Men’s 400 IM

• Meet Record: 3:49.71 — Brennan Morris, Loyola Maryland (2011)
• 2024 Champion: James Conable (Marist) — 3:52.56

1. James Conable (Marist) — 3:50.44  
2. Ed Hunt (Fairfield) — 3:54.36  
3. Hunter Emerson (Marist) — 3:55.68  
4. Jack Behm (Fairfield) — 3:55.83  
5. Thomas Latimer (Niagara) — 3:56.68  
6. Holden Brock (Niagara) — 3:56.79  
7. Juan Diego Nunez Barreras (Saint Peters) — 3:59.36  
8. Elliott Burgos (Niagara) — 4:00.06

James Conable pulled off a dominant win and became the first double individual winner of the meet. The Marist senior got off to a 1.5 second lead at the first 100 and continued to build the lead to about four seconds by the end of the swim. The defending champion beat his winning time from last year by two seconds, stopping the clock in 3:50.44 this time around.

Women’s 200 free

• Meet Record: 1:49.33 — Priscilla Modrov (Rider), 2009
• 2024 Champion: Evie Leighton (Canisisus) — 1:50.08 

1. Natalie Killion (Niagara) — 1:48.20
2. Sophia Velleco (Sacred Heart) — 1:49.81
3. Erin Hoyland (Fairfield) — 1:50.68
4. Claire Gorton (Niagara) — 1:50.91
5. Megan Jackson (Niagara) — 1:51.63
6. Mary Carl (Niagara) — 1:52.19
7. Charlotte Lepis (Marist) — 1:52.60
8. Evie Leighton (Canisius) — 1:52.66

Natalie Killion pulled off the first double individual win of the women’s meet while dropping a new best time of 1:48.20. Last night’s 500 champion repeated tonight by leveraging a strong back half to command the heat. Killion was faster than her lead-off in the 800 free relay two nights ago, when she went 1:48.56.

For the first time in her career, Sacred Heart sophomore Sophie Velleco broke the 1:50 barrier in her career. Velleco swam 1:49.81 to get second place.

Men’s 200 free

• Meet Record: 1:34.79 — Michael Faughnan (Iona), 2024
• 2024 Champion: Michael Faughnan (Iona) — 1:34.79

1. Michael Faughnan (Iona) — 1:34.39
2. Reid Tichy (Niagara) — 1:36.34
3. Nathan Dragon (Niagara) — 1:37.11
4. Tim Regan (Fairfield) — 1:37.81
5. Joseph Stewart (Fairfield) — 1:38.23
6. Aidan Schnapf (Fairfield) — 1:38.25
7. Adam Zaremba (Marist) — 1:38.48
8. Michael Levine (Niagara) — 1:39.70

Iona’s Michael Faughnan came in as the heavy favorite in this event, and he did not disappoint. The fifth year plowed through the first 50 in 21.81, nearly a second ahead of the rest of the field. He then also posted the fastest second, third, and last 50s in the field to win by over two seconds in 1:34.39. Faughnan’s last ever collegiate 200 free was a personal best, beating out his meet record of 1:34.79 from last year.

Women’s 100 breast

• Meet Record: 1:01.45 — Tone Sandsjo (Fairfield), 2024
• 2024 Champion: Tone Sandsjo (Fairfield) – 1:01.45

1. Tone Sandsjo (Fairfield) — 1:00.61
2. Alaina Pitton (Niagara) — 1:01.14
3. April Avila (Marist) — 1:02.35
4. Rae Dodson (Marist) — 1:02.82
5. Julia Moser (Iona) — 1:03.39
6. Christine Lazari (Mount Saint Mary’s) — 1:03.67
7. Megan Smith (Niagara) — 1:04.06
8. Rosemery Nieto (Sacred Heart) — 1:04.70

Going into the race, it looked like it would be three-woman show between a trio of sophomores who all turned in 1:01 mids in the morning: Alaina Pitton, April Avila, and Tone Sandsjo.

Though they did go 1-2-3, it wasn’t particularly close, as Sandsjo blasted to a new lifetime best of 1:00.66. Before this, the Swedish national’s best stood at 1:01.45, which won her the event last year.

Pitton, the 200 IM champion from the day before, delivered a 1:01.14 for second, while Avila took third in 1:02.35.

Men’s 100 breast

• Meet Record: 53.40 — FuKong Wong (Bryant), 2020
• 2024 Champion: 54.29 — Joe Brennan (Manhattan)

1. Aidan Grady (Mt St Mary’s) — 53.18
2. Sean Finley (Niagara) — 53.53
3. Billy Ruddy (Rider) — 53.61
4. Enrique Garcia (Fairfield) — 54.11
5. Joe Brennan (Manhattan) — 54.67
6. Lance Cruz (Niagara) — 55.08
7. Max Connelly (Rider) — 55.30
8. Matthew Borovik (Rider) — 55.97

Mount Saint Marys sophomore Aidan Grady took a .6-sized chunk off his lifetime best to win and establish a new meet record. Grady blasted it out in a 24.63, and although he came back to second place finisher Sean Finley a little bit on the back half, he still won by three tenths.

For Finley, this was a massive best time. Before his 53.53, he had never been faster than 54.78.

Women’s 100 back

• Meet Record: 54.45 — Matea Samardzic (St. Peters), 2015
• 2024 Champion: Nora Segurola Larrinaga (Fairfield) — 54.92

1. Erini Pappas (Fairfield) — 55.43
2. Raegan O’Brien (Iona) — 55.96
3. Lauren Patalano (Fairfield) — 55.99
4. Hanna Aggen (Mount Saint Mary’s) — 56.51
5. Paige South (Niagara) — 56.60
6. Holly Rahurahu (Fairfield) — 56.80
7. Kristen Baker (Sacred Heart) — 56.99
8. Genevieve O’Neil (Marist) — 57.34

Erini Pappas helped deliver back-to-back wins for the Fairfield women. Pappas, a senior, stopped the clock in 55.43 to win by about a half second.

Behind Pappas, three freshmen went 2-3-4, a good sign for the future of the event in this conference. Raegen O’Brien and Lauren Patalano took the silver and bronze with a pair of 55.9s. Hanna Aggen, meanwhile, went 56.51 for fourth.

Men’s 100 back

• Meet Record: 47.35 — Justin Carey (Rider), 2019
• 2024 Champion: Lucas Recivicius (Rider) — 47.85

1. Kieran Egan (Iona) — 47.75
2. Jason Fitch (Mount Saint Mary’s) — 47.81
3. Noah Giunta (Iona) — 48.70
4. Nate Wales (Iona) — 49.03
5. Max McMillan (Fairfield) — 49.25
6. Derek Fantano (Rider) — 49.49
7. Quinn Smith (Marist) — 49.51
8. Oliver McLaughlin (Fairfield) — 49.67

Iona sophomore Kieran Egan held off a second 50 surge from Mount St Marys junior Jason Fitch for a narrow win. For both competitors, this was a new best time, beating out their 48.2 previous personal bests by nearly half a second.

Women’s 400 medley relay

• Meet Record: 3:44.67 — Fairfield, 2024
• 2024 Champion: Fairfield — 3:44.67

1. Niagara — 3:42.93
2. Fairfield — 3:45.02
3. Iona — 3:47.92
4. Mt St Mary’s — 3:48.24
5. CANC — 3:49.43
6. Marist — 3:50.15
7. Sacred Heart — 3:51.04
8. Siena — 3:51.23

Natalie Killion started Niagara off on the right note, swimming a 55.09 that would’ve won the individual 100 backstroke. Alaina Pitton and Maria Mitova built on Niagara’s lead before senior Paige South hit the water and secured the win. South split 50.51, the best split by nearly a second and a half in the field.

Fairfield touched in 3:45.02 for a comfortable second place. Iona grabbed third, with senior Ashley Benkert clocking the fastest fly split of the field (55.74).

Men’s 400 medley relay

• Meet Record: 3:13.39 — Bryant, 2019
• 2024 Champion: Iona — 3:14.86

1. Iona — 3:11.51
2. Mt St Mary’s — 3:13.29
3. Niagara — 3:15.47
4. Fairfield — 3:15.83
5. Rider — 3:16.85
6. Marist — 3:17.06
7. CANC — 3:19.65
8. St Peters — 3:23.20

Iona University successfully defended their title in this relay while also getting two seconds under the old meet record. They boasted two of the four fastest legs in the field, starting off with Michael Faughnan on backstroke (46.38). On the fly leg, sophomores Kieran Egan (47.46) also produced a field-leading split. 

Mount Saint Mary’s placed second in 3:13.29, also narrowly under the old meet record. 100 breast champion Aidan Grady clocked a 52.89 on breaststroke, the fastest in the field. Niagara’s Nathan Dragon had the fastest fly split, helping the Purple Eagles to finish third.

Team Scores – Women

1. Niagara University — 517
2. Fairfield University — 377
3. Marist College — 340
4. Sacred Heart University — 253
5. Mount Saint Mary’s — 240
6. Iona University — 191
7. Canisius University — 187
8. Siena College — 152
9. Rider University — 137
10. Merrimack College — 59
11. Saint Peters University — 53
12. Manhattan University — 49

Team Scores – Men

1. Niagara University — 427.5
2. Fairfield University — 424.5
3. Marist College — 402.5
4. Iona University — 364.5
5. Rider University — 323.5
6. Mount Saint Mary’s — 216.5
7. Canisius University — 150
8. Saint Peters University — 111
9. Manhattan University — 94