New Paltz Stuns Cortland with Victory

MEN

The State University of New York at New Paltz men’s swimming team pulled off an upset win on Fridayafternoon, downing defending State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) champion SUNY Cortland, 144-101, in a dual meet.

Sophomore Rod Taskindoust (New City, N.Y./Clarkstown North) was a triple-event winner individually for New Paltz, claiming wins in the 200 freestyle (1:50.40), the 50 freestyle (23.26) and the 100 butterfly (57.19). Junior Jack Spader (Larchmont, N.Y./Mamaroneck) captured two individual event victories, winning the 1,000 freestyle (10:43.94) and the 500 freestyle (5:07.01), while freshman Rob Cahn (Bellmore, N.Y./Bellmore JFK), senior Matt Distler (Glens Falls, N.Y./Glens Falls) and freshman Andrew Grant (Akron, N.Y./Akron) won the 200 butterfly (2:08.88), the 100 freestyle (49.48) and the 200 backstroke (2:14.58), respectively.

New Paltz rises to 1-5 with the win and next faces Mount Saint Mary College at 6 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 24, in its final home meet of the season. Cortland drops to 3-3 and hosts SUNY Oswego on Wednesday, Jan. 22, at 4 p.m.

The Hawks tagged their entries in the final two events as exhibition, but their 400 freestyle relay team of Taskindoust, sophomore Ethan Cooke (Middletown, Conn./Middletown), freshman Luke Zenir (Cherry Valley, N.Y./Cooperstown Central) and Distler charted a winning time of 3:22.82.

Second-place finishes came from freshman Thomas Whittico (East Lyme, Conn./East Lyme) in the 1,000 freestyle (10:47.80) and the 500 freestyle (5:09.41), Distler in the 100 backstroke (57.61) and the 200 individual medley (2:09.79), Cooke in the 200 butterfly (2:10.36), Zenir in the 100 freestyle (52.15), senior Brendan Meyer (Hurley, N.Y./Kingston) in the 200 backstroke (2:15.85) and sophomore Ryan Lindgren (Hurley, N.Y./Kingston) in the 200 breaststroke (2:29.79).

WOMEN

In a meet that came down to the last relay, the State University of New York at New Paltz women’s swimming team was unable to have its “B” 400 freestyle relay sneak into the top three, as the Hawks fell, 132-130, to SUNY Cortland on Friday afternoon.

While no close meet’s result can be pegged on one singular event, momentum swung in Cortland’s favor in the 200 individual medley, the meet’s final individual event. Cortland’s senior Chrisanna Hickey led from start to finish in the event, but junior Samantha Granan (Hyde Park, N.Y./Franklin D. Roosevelt) put up a good fight, finishing second by just 1.3 seconds.

In the 400 freestyle relay, New Paltz needed to finish first and third to win the meet, but Cortland split its talent across its “A” and “B” relays. The Hawks’ “B” team took fourth by 2.43 seconds, and the Red Dragons ended up escaping with the home victory.

New Paltz drops to 4-2 with the loss and next faces Mount Saint Mary College at 6 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 24, in its final home meet of the season. Cortland rises to 3-3 and hosts SUNY Oswego on Wednesday, Jan. 22, at 4 p.m.

Sophomore Cassidy Griger (Cooperstown, N.Y./Cooperstown Central) was a triple-event winner individually and won a fourth event by leading off the Hawks’ first-place 400 freestyle relay. Griger won the 200 freestyle (2:00.16), the 50 freestyle (25.86) and the 100 freestyle (55.42), and the 400 freestyle relay squad of Griger, senior Chelsea Allocco (Chatham, N.J./Chatham), sophomore Ella Graffin (Ithaca, N.Y./Ithaca) and senior Victoria Scalise (Rochester, N.Y./Brighton) charted a winning standard of 3:44.00.

Allocco won both the 1,000 freestyle (10:54.01) and the 500 freestyle (5:19.87), while Granan captured the 100 breaststroke (1:09.63) and sophomore Maggie Heaton (New Milford, Conn./New Milford) touched first in the 100 butterfly (1:02.25).

Second-place finishes came from Allocco in the 200 freestyle (2:00.97), Scalise in the 100 freestyle (56.37), Graffin in the 200 backstroke (2:19.68) and Granan in the 200 breaststroke (2:35.20) and the 200 individual medley (2:18.78).

This release was provided to SwimSwam courtesy of New Paltz Swimming and Diving.

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About Gold Medal Mel Stewart

Gold Medal Mel Stewart

MEL STEWART Jr., aka Gold Medal Mel, won three Olympic medals at the 1992 Olympic Games. Mel's best event was the 200 butterfly. He is a former World, American, and NCAA Record holder in the 200 butterfly. As a writer/producer and sports columnist, Mel has contributed to Yahoo Sports, Universal Sports, …

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