Men’s and Women’s Swimming & Diving Teams Finish Third at SUNYAC Championship

NEW PALTZ – — The SUNY New Paltz men’s and women’s swimming & diving teams each finished third among 10 teams at the 2003 SUNYAC Championship last weekend (Feb. 13-15) in Buffalo, NY.

The men’s squad repeated their third place performance of a year ago, compiling 508 points to finish behind first place Geneseo (852) and runner-up Oswego (808). The women’s team, who bettered their fourth place effort from last year, scored 491 points to also finish in back of Geneseo (839.5) and Oswego (774).

The men’s and women’s teams combined to win four events. For the men, sophomore Kent Yeung (Flushing, NY) took home a SUNYAC Championship in the 100 backstroke with a time of 53.61. Yeung also teamed up with senior Jon Amoia (Williamsville, NY) and juniors Jon Sousa (Albany, NY) and Mark Costello (Staten Island, NY) to give New Paltz a conference title in the 200 medley relay (1:36.88) for the second consecutive year.

Amoia was also second in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 59.64 and combined with Yeung, Sousa and senior Jeff Galaise (Torrington, CT) to swim 3:33.68 in the 400 medley relay for a second place finish.

Costello had a second place effort in the 200 backstroke (2:00.01) with Galaise right behind him in third place (2:00.39). Galaise recorded third place finishes in the 200 (2:01.12) and 400 IM events (4:19.92) as well and Sousa was second in the 200 butterfly (1:59.09) and fourth in the 100 butterfly (53.44) and the 500 freestyle (4:54.94).

Two members of the women’s team also walked away with SUNYAC titles. Sophomore Danielle Lindner (Wantagh, NY) won the 200 backstroke with a mark of 2:11.32.

Senior diver Kathryn MacCrate (E. Setauket, NY) garnered a conference championship on the one-meter diving board with a score of 336.35.

Lindner was also second in the 100 backstroke (1:01.59) and the 200 IM (2:13.35), and was a force on several of the Hawks’ relay teams. She combined with sophomores Mallory Grempel (Babylon, NY), and Andrea Ditter (New Paltz, NY) and freshman Joanna Masterson (Canadaigua, NY) to finish second in the 800 free relay with a school record time of 8:10.97.

The 200 medley relay team of Lindner, senior Molly Soule (Clinton, NY), Grempel and freshman Joanna Masterson (Canadaigua, NY) was third with an ECAC qualifying time of 1:53.10. The foursome also placed third in the 200 and 400 freestyle events (1:39.93 and 3:40.31).

Grempel was second in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:10.73 and registered third place finishes in the 200 IM (2:16.03) the 200 breaststroke (2:30.62).

The Hawks placed two more swimmers in the top five of the 100 breaststroke event. Junior Lauren Saracene (Penfield, NY) was fourth with a mark of 1:11.21 and junior Scarlet Duba (Canadaigua, NY) was fifth at 1:11.44.

MacCrate also finished second on three-meter diving board (345.85) and Masterson was third in the 50 freestyle (24.85) and fifth in the 100 freestyle (55.59).