NEW PALTZ — Once again high expectations surround the SUNY New Paltz swimming program as they prepare for their season opener against Hartwick on Saturday (Oct. 25) at 10:00 a.m. in Elting Gym. The men’s and women’s teams each finished third at the SUNYAC Championship last February, and with a returning cast that features four conference champions, the Hawks should be among the top teams in the league once again.
On the men’s side, three-time SUNYAC Coach of the Year Brian Williams hopes to offset the loss of 2002 SUNYAC Swimmer of the Year Jon Amoia and former SUNYAC Champion Jeff Galaise with a group of athletes who have already been at the center of the Hawks’ success.
Junior Kent Yeung (Flushing, NY) returns after winning the ECAC and SUNYAC championships in the 100-yard backstroke a year ago. Yeung, the team MVP in 2003 as well, earned another conference title when he teamed with Amoia, and seniors Jon Sousa (Albany, NY) and Mark Costello (Staten Island, NY) to finish first in the 200 medley relay. Sousa and Costello will once again play an important role in the relay events while hoping to improve upon their individual efforts at the conference championship. Sousa finished second and fourth in the 200 butterfly and 100 butterfly while Costello was second in the 200 backstroke.
The returning senior class will also feature Todd Doornweerd (Meriden, CT), Seth Phostole (Meriden, CT), Nate Haus (Binghamton, NY), and Ben Yousey (Beaver River, NY) while juniors Joe Davidson (Turnersville, NJ), Chris Farrell (Sparkill, NY), and Jay Sousa (Albany, NY) hope to make an even greater impact this season in the backstroke and freestyle events.
Sophomore Jeff Melton (Acworth, GA) came on strong at the end of last season and finished fifth as part of the Hawks 200 freestyle relay team with Amoia, Galaise, and Costello.
Three freshmen will join the New Paltz swimming roster this season. They are Danny Lo (Toms River, NJ), Craig Gottesman (Oceanside, NY) and Connor Reynolds (Thiells, NY).
Led by eight returners, the women’s squad hopes to maintain its spot among the top three teams in the conference. Junior Danielle Lindner (Wantagh, NY) developed into one of the top swimmers in the region a year ago and capped off the season by winning the SUNYAC title in the 200 backstroke and qualifying for the ECAC Championship. Lindner also teamed with junior Mallory Grempel (Babylon, NY) and sophomore Joanna Masterson (Canandaigua, NY) to form three fourths of the Hawks 200 free relay team that finished third at the SUNYAC Championship and earned an ECAC qualifying spot.
Grempel hopes to move closer to winning a conference title after finishing second in the 100 breaststroke and a third in the 200 IM and the 200 backstroke. Meanwhile, Masterson was third in the 50 freestyle and fifth in the 100 and 200 freestyle events as a freshman.
Seniors Erin Bedell (High Falls, NY), Stacy Ornitz (Westwood, NJ), and Rachel Thompson (Walden, NY) and juniors Andrea Ditter (New Paltz, NY) and Debbie Elliot (Endicott, NY) round out the list of returners for Coach Williams.
This year’s roster will feature 16 newcomers. Junior Jerri Kinzie (Evans Mills, NY) will join freshmen Barrie Austien (Dix Hills, NY), Liz Delia (Oswego, NY), Claire Gerard (Stony Point, NY), Elizabeth Gerritt (Windsor, CT), Elizabeth Griffin (Waterviliet, NY), Kim Herrick (Ballston Spa, NY), Christina Magill (Poughquag, NY), Marianne Meoli (Miller Place, NY), Justine Nigro (Ballston Spa, NY), Daytona Papetti (Long Beach, NY), Katie Rapp (Liverpool, NY), Nevine Roberts (Pound Ridge, NY), BethAnn Salter (Long Beach, NY), Tammy Trzcinski (Canandaigua, NY), and Ashley Williamson (Holland Patent, NY).
