2025 MAAC Championships Night 2 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

After a lightning fast first session that included four for four in meet records, the first individual session of the 2025 MAAC Championships got underway yesterday. With another five records today, the session did not disappoint. Niagara women have a sizeable lead on the rest of the field in the team standings, while the Niagara men narrowly lead Marist.

Women’s 500 Free Final

• Meet Record: 4:50.46 — Matea Samardzic (St Peters), 2015
• 2024 Champion: Mary Carl (Niagara) — 4:55.56

1. Natalie Killion (Niagara) — 4:48.18
2. Sophia Velleco (Sacred Heart) — 4:52.89
3. Carmen Del Aguila Martin (Mount Saint Mary’s) — 4:54.38
4. Mary Carl (Niagara) — 4:54.45
5. Maria Mitova (Niagara) — 4:57.47
6. Erin Hoyland (Fairfield) — 4:57.96
7. Charlotte Lepis (Marist) — 4:59.84
8. Sofia Smerechniak (Fairfield) — 5:00.11

Mount St. Mary’s freshman Carmen del Aguila Martin got out fast, flipping first at the 200. After that, however, Natalie Killion turned on the engines, getting progressively faster each 50 from the 250 onwards to secure a four-second win and establish a new meet record.

Storming into second place was Sacred Heart’s Sophia Velleco, bringing her lifetime best from 4:57.20 down to 4:52.89. Aguila Martin ended up in third, while Niagara defending champion touched 4th, both turning in a 4:54 time.

Men’s 500 free Final

• Meet Record: 4:20.35 — Michael Faughnan (Iona), 2023
• 2024 Champion: 4:20.64 — Michael Faughnan, Iona

1. Michael Faughnan (Iona) — 4:19.62
2. Joseph Stewart (Fairfield) — 4:26.73
3. Adam Zaremba (Marist) — 4:28.13
4. Derek Fantano (Rider) — 4:28.21
5. Aidan Schnapf (Fairfield) — 4:29.32
6. Tim Regan (Fairfield) — 4:29.49
7. Jack LaBianca (Marist) — 4:30.53
8. Oscar Bjering (Marist) — 4:30.93

Graduate student Michael Faughnan ran away with the first men’s individual meet of the meet. This makes it three consecutive years and four years total of Faughnan winning the conference title. His time, 4:19.62, narrowly misses his 4:19.35 best time established this December.

Flipping 4th at the 450, Fairfield senior Joseph Stewart brought it home in a 25.39 to get runner-up by over a second.

Women’s 200 IM Final

• Meet Record: 2:01.60 — Priscilla Modrov (Rider), 2009
• 2024 Champion: 2:02.24 — Alaina Pitton (Niagara)

1. Alaina Pitton (Niagara) — 2:02.03
2. Chloe Vlaeminck (Niagara) — 2:02.62
3. Erini Pappas (Fairfield) — 2:03.57
4. Daphne Mead (Canisius) — 2:03.76
5. Megan Smith (Niagara) — 2:04.60
6. Sabrina Conrad (Marist) — 2:04.65
7. Ola Bodyl (Niagara) — 2:05.40
8. Rae Dodson (Marist) — 2:06.30

Erini Pappas and Daphne Mead took it out the fastest, both splitting 57s at the 100. In the breaststroke, however, Niagara teammates Alaina Pitton and Chloe Vlaeminck made up ground, turning first and second into freestyle and not looking back.

For Pitton, a sophomore, this was a repeat win as well as a lifetime best. Her previous best stood at 2:02.24 from the conference meet last year. Vlaeminck also scored a new best time, dropping from 2:03.20 at last year’s conference to 2:02.62. Pappas and Mead held on for 3rd and 4th respectively.

Men’s 200 IM Final

• Meet Record: 1:46.58 — Micah Ornelas (Bryant), 2019
• 2024 Champion: Chris Dauser, Marist — 1:47.69

1. James Conable (Marist) — 1:46.42
2. Sean Finley (Niagara) — 1:48.18
3. Lance Cruz (Niagara) — 1:48.78
4. Thomas Latimer (Niagara) — 1:49.09
5. Holden Brock (Niagara) — 1:49.55
6. Michael Levine (Niagara) — 1:49.56
7. Caden Hardy (Marist) — 1:49.68
8. Noah Giunta (Iona) — 1:50.38

James Conable held his first seed from prelims to break a meet record and bring home Marist’s first win of the meet. His time, 1:46.42, marks a new best, down from 1:47.13 at the 2024 Patriot Invitational. 

Behind Conable was a sea of Niagara swimmers. Sean Finley, Lance Cruz, Thomas Latimer, Holden Brock, and Michael Levine picked up some serious points for the Purple Eagles, all turning in 1:48s and 1:49s.

Women’s 50 Free Final

• Conference Record: Rahcel Wuko (St. Peters) — 22.97. 2015
• 2024 Champion: 23.41 — Nora Segurola Larrinaga (Fairfield)

1. Paige South (Niagara) — 23.22
2. Eydis Kolbeinsdottir (Marist) — 23.46
3. Christine Lazari (Mount Saint Mary’s) — 23.51
4. Meghan Speicher (Mount Saint Mary’s) — 23.53
5. Olivia Thompson (Fairfield) — 23.59
6. Claire Gorton (Niagara) — 23.64
7. Theodora Kanellopoulou (Mount Saint Mary’s) — 23.83
8. Megan Jackson (Niagara) — 23.86

That’s 3 for 3 individual wins for Niagara Women. Senior Paige South took care of business, swimming 23.22 to narrowly miss her best time of 23.20 from the 2024 Magnus Cup invite. Marist fifth year swam her last ever individual 50 in a new best time of 23.46 to place second. Her previous best from the 2024 Patriot Invite was 23.61. Mount St Marys’ Christine Lazari and Meghan Speicher rounded out the top 4 in 23.51 and 23.53.

Men’s 50 Free Final

• Meet Record: 19.66 — Nachary Molloy (Rider), 2018
• 2024 Champion: Christian Overton (Rider) — 20.04

1. Nathan Dragon (Niagara) — 19.78
2. Kieran Egan (Iona) — 20.13
3. Lucas Hancock (Mt St Mary’s) — 20.20
4. Levi Morgan (Niagara) — 20.22
5. Parker Koenig (Mt St Mary’s) — 20.34
6. Billy Ruddy (Rider) — 20.34
7. Nick Patino (Iona) — 20.58

Niagara senior Nathan Dragon was the lone sub-20 swimmer tonight. He had a big morning swim, breaking 20 for the first time and earning the top seed in 19.80. He followed it up with a win tonight and another .02 drop.

The morning’s other sub-20 swim, Mount St Mary’s Austin Toland, was disqualified tonight on a false start. Third seed Kieran Egan stepped up and touched second in 20.13, while Toland’s teammates Lucas Hancock and Parker Koenig still scored big points for Mt St Mary’s with 3rd and 5th places.

Women’s 200 Free Relay Final

• Meet Record: Niagara — 1:33.94, 2024
• 2024 Champion: 1:33.94 — Niagara

1. Niagara — 1:32.90
2. Mt St Mary’s — 1:33.62
3. (T-3)Iona — 1:35.05
4. (T-3)Fairfield — 1:35.05
5. Marist — 1:35.78
6. Siena — 1:36.16
7. CANC — 1:37.17
8. Sacred Heart — 1:37.42

The Lady Purple Eagles made it 4 for 4 today by winning and downing their meet record from last year. They led from start to finish, kicking it off with the fastest lead-off in Paige South (23.30). Sophomores Megan Jackson and Claire Gorton built up their lead on the field with 23.32 and 23.25 splits respectively. Finally, 200 IM champion Alaina Pitton showed off her versatility by anchoring in 23.03, the fastest split of the pool.

Mount St. Mary’s touched in 2nd in 1:33.62, also under the old meet record. They had a particularly strong back half thanks to 23.13 and 23.20 splits from Theodora Kanellopolou and Meghan Speicher. 

Iona and Fairfield shared the 3rd place spot on the podium after they both turned in 1:35.05.

Men’s 200 Free Relay Final

• Meet Record: Niagara — 1:19.79, 2023
• 2024 Champion: 1:20.19 — Niagara

1. Niagara — 1:19.64
2. Mt St Mary’s — 1:20.03
3. Iona — 1:20.75
4. Rider — 1:21.29
5. Fairfield — 1:21.96
6. Marist — 1:22.25
7. CANC — 1:23.88
8. St Peters — 1:28.05

Niagara continued to show their sprint prowess with yet another meet record and win. The team of Levi Morgan (20.11), Reid Tichy (20.05), Jake Wade (20.08), and Nathan Dragon (19.40) made it four consecutive years of wins in this event for Niagara.

Mount St. Mary’s put up a good fight for second. Swimming against Dragon on the anchor leg, sophomore Parker Koenig threw down a 19.43 split to put some distance between them and 3rd place Iona.

Team Scores After Day 2 – Men

1. Niagara University — 232.5
2. Marist College — 219.5
3. Iona University — 207.5
4. Fairfield University — 204.5
5. Rider University — 157.5
6. Mount Saint Mary’s — 121.5
7. Canisius University — 96
8. Manhattan University — 62
9. Saint Peters University — 60

Team Scores After Day 2 – Women

1. Niagara University — 289
2. Fairfield University — 184
3. Marist College — 184
4. Sacred Heart University — 165
5. Mount Saint Mary’s — 153
6. Canisius University — 111
7. Rider University — 98
8. Iona University — 96
9. Siena College — 93
10. Merrimack College — 42
11. Manhattan University — 39
12. Saint Peters University — 36