Masterson Leads Hawks At SUNYAC Championships

BUFFALO, NY — The SUNY New Paltz swim teams completed the third preliminary session of State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Championship Meet, this morning.

Senior Joanna Masterson (Canandaigua, NY) finished as the top qualifier in the women’s 100-yard freestyle with a time of 52.84 in the preliminary round. Junior Ashley Williamson (Holland Patent, NY) (56.20) and freshman Beth Colebeck (Rochester, NY) (56.56) also qualified in the 100-yard freestyle.

The women’s team swam well in the 200-yard backstroke qualifying four swimmers. The fastest qualifying time for the SUNY New Paltz came from junior Katie Rapp (Liverpool, NY) who finished in 2:13.62, junior Liz Delia (Oswego, NY) followed in 2:14.34, freshman Samantha Graham (West Islip, NY) touched in 2:20.11,and freshman Nicole Moss (Williamville, NY) finished in 2:21.27. The 200-yard breaststroke proved successful for SUNY New Paltz as well with five swimmers qualifying; sophomore Regina Davide (Ossining, NY) (2:32.19), freshman Joelle Hopf (Vestal, NY) (2:32.40), sophomore Laura Lipp (St. James, NY) (2:34.78), junior Christina Magill (Paughquag, NY) (2:42.48), and junior Beth Ann Salter (Long Beach, NY) (2:43.82).

Sophomore Liz Ruggiero (Congers, NY), freshman Eryka Eikeseth (Staten Island, NY), and freshman Christina Corrigan (Buffalo, NY) all qualified in the women’s 200-yard butterfly with times of 2:15.11, 2:26.01, and 2:30.48, respectively.

Both the men’s and women’s swim teams qualified in the 400-yard freestyle relay, the women’s team of Rapp, Delia, Hopf, and Davide swam to a qualifying time of 3:49.62 and the men’s team of junior Danny Lo (Toms River, NJ), freshman Chris Smith (Suffern, NY), freshman Mark Chipman (Oswego, NY), and senior Jeff Melton (Achworth, GA) touched in 3:25.46.

For the men’s team, sophomores Mike Demerest (Long Beach, NY) (50.19) qualified in the100-yard freestyle. In the men’s 200-yard butterfly, SUNY New Paltz had three swimmers finish in qualifying times, freshman Chris Smith (Suffern, NY) (2:05.28), Melton (2:15.13), and Chipman (2.15.56). Sophomore Nick Johnson (Highland Mills, NY) (2:16.09)and Lo (2:17.94) will advance to the finals in the men’s 200-yard breaststroke. The Hawks had one swimmer qualify in the men’s 200-yard backstroke, sophomore Johnny Fleckenstein (Port Jefferson, NY) touched in 2:00.86.

The Hawks had three swimmers receive final times in the men’s 1650-yard freestyle, Kent (17:54.93), freshman Jimmy Ireland (Bergen, NY) (18:05.70), and Roth (19:05.35). The women’s team also had three swimmers receive final times in the 1650-yard freestyle, Corrigan (19:12.71), sophomore Ashley Grant (Glens Falls, NY) (19:15.10), and Moss (19:35.83).

All qualifiers for the SUNY New Paltz swim teams will compete in the final heats for their respective events in session six of the SUNYAC Championship Meet at the Burt Flickinger Athletic Center, located on the campus of Erie Community College, beginning at 6:00 pm.

Complete results for this weekends meet can be viewed at the following website:

http://www.starswimming.org/results/sunyac/index.htm