NEW PALTZ, NY — SUNY New Paltz swimmers Joanna Masterson (Canandaigua, NY) and Kent Yeung (Flushing, NY) were recognized by the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) at the conclusion of this year’s championship meet at the Flickinger Aquatic Center in Buffalo, NY.
Masterson, a junior, was named the Female Swimmer of the Meet after winning three SUNYAC titles in the freestyle. She began the three-day event by capturing the 50-yard freestyle with an NCAA Division III provisional qualifying time of 24.07. In addition to swimming an NCAA qualifying time, Masterson set a school record in the process. Later in the meet, she went on to win the 100 (52.78) and 200 free (1:57.22) events. Her performance in the 100 free was an NCAA provisional mark and a SUNYAC record.
In addition, Masterson swam on two relay teams that finished with NCAA provisional qualifying times. She combined with sophomore Liz Delia (Oswego, NY) and seniors Danielle Lindner (Wantagh, NY) and Mallory Grempel (Babylon, NY) to earn a third place finish in the 200 medley relay with an NCAA Division III provisional qualifying time of 1:51.79. On the final day of the meet, Masterson, Delia, Lindner and sophomore Ashley Williamson (Holland Patent, NY) registered a second place finish and a provisional time of 3:37.31 in the 400 free relay.
Masterson became the second SUNY New Paltz female to earn the Swimmer of the Meet award since its inception in 1997. Jessica Difabio was the first winner for SUNY New Paltz in 1999.
Yeung, a senior, was the Co-Recipient of the James Fulton Award. Yeung shared this year’s honor with Jack Popper, a diver from SUNY Cortland. Since its inception in 1969, the award is given annually at the SUNYAC Championship to the male swimmer who combines athletic accomplishment with academic achievement over a four-year period.
Yeung captured back-to-back SUNYAC titles in the 100 backstroke in 2003 and 2004 and earned first team all-conference honors in ’04 as well.
Yeung became the fifth SUNY New Paltz swimmer in the 37-year history of the award to be honored. He joined Paul Strothenke (1986), Mark Sargeant (1989), Louis Petto (1994) and Jon Amoia (2003) as the other Hawks who have received the award.
