Press Release courtesy of Marist Athletics
The Marist women’s and men’s swimming and diving teams will begin their 2017-18 seasons with a dual meet against Canisius at 10 a.m.Oct. 13. Live results will be available on the Meet Mobile app.
The women were unanimously ranked atop the 2017-18 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Coaches’ Preseason Poll with 100 points. The Marist men were second in the poll coming in at 88 points. Canisius placed third in the women’s poll with 75 points while the men ranked fifth with 65 points.
Winning Ways
Marist swimming and diving won its 30th overall MAAC title last season. The women will aim to capture their 13th conference championship in the last 14 years and ninth in a row in 2017-18. They extended their MAAC regular season dual meet winning streak to 40 last season while the men’s program reached 100 dual meet victories all time.
Roster Additions
16 freshmen, nine women and seven men, are new to the swimming and diving teams this year. The women upgraded their versatile freestyle core with the additions of Kimberly Chan, Emma de Freitas, Samantha Dickinson, Caroline Farrell, Heather Hartmann, Catherine Spillane, and Georgeanne Zimmerman. Juliet Nowak also transferred to Marist from Binghamton. Grace Reeves and Esabelle Gervasio are the two new divers. Seven out of the 10 swimmers are multi-event competitors.
On the men’s side, David Gallino joined the divers after spending his freshman year at Southern Connecticut State. He will be competing against his brother, Marist senior captain Peter Gallino, throughout the season. Marist’s men’s squad had its second international recruit in freshman Murray Coueslant, who is joined by Diego Faucher, Max Garcia del Pozo, John Hurley, Jackson Klarsfeld, Andrew Marilley, and Daniel Simpson in the group of newcomers. Faucher, del Pozo and Simpson competed at the USA Swimming Southern Zone South Sectional Championships in July while Hurley and current junior Miguel Madeira became the first Marist swimmers to qualify for and participate in the U.S. Open Swimming Championships.
Sticking Around
2016-17 team captain Meredith Wurtz joined the Marist swimming and diving coaching staff as an assistant coach in the summer. She broke school records in five events last season and was awarded MAAC Most Outstanding Swimmer the final two years of her collegiate swimming career.
Last Time Against The Golden Griffins (Women)
The Red Foxes took down the Golden Griffins, 169-126, to open last season. Jessica Miller was a double-winner in the butterfly and Melanie Newton was the top finisher in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 5:17.73.
Last Time Against The Golden Griffins (Men)
The Marist men beat Canisius, 168-130, in the 2016-17 regular season opener. Robert McDowell posted a pair of second place finishes in close 100- (53.49 seconds) and 200-yard (1:57.18) backstroke races.
Scouting Canisius (Women)
Canisius will be competing in its regular season opener tomorrow as well. The Golden Griffins finished last year placing third at the MAAC Championships with 581 points. Rebecca Anthone was a member of the team’s first place 400-yard freestyle relay squad and won gold in the 200-yard freestyle at the conference title meet. She returns for her final season with the Golden Griffins in 2017-18.
Scouting Canisius (Men)
The Golden Griffins’ men’s team ended up fourth at last year’s MAAC Championships after racking up 420 points. Travis Wright shattered the MAAC Championships record on the 1-meter board, coming in first place with a final score of 334.35 points. He also took the 3-meter board in school and MAAC record fashion with 398.45 points in the final. He will look to defend his titles and MAAC Diver of the Year recognition heading into 2017-18.
Looking Ahead
Marist will compete against Fordham in its home opener Thursday, October 19. The non-conference clash will start at 6 p.m. in McCann Natatorium.
