SUNY New Paltz Swim Teams Complete Session One at SUNYAC Meet

BUFFALO, NY — The SUNY New Paltz swim teams competed this morning at the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Championship Meet. This morning’s events included the first session of preliminary heats at the Burt Flickinger Athletic Center on the campus of Erie Community College.

On the opening day of the SUNYAC Championship Meet, senior Joanna Masterson (Canandaigua, NY) once again led the way for SUNY New Paltz. Masterson set a conference, meet, and varsity record, with a Division III National Qualifying Time of 24.01 in the 50-yard freestyle. Sophomore Regina Davide (Ossining, NY) (25.56), junior Ashley Williamson (Holland Patent, NY) (25.62) and freshman Beth Colebeck (Rochester, NY) (25.71) also completed the 50-yard freestyle preliminary heat with qualifying times.

Both teams qualified three swimmers in the 200-yard individual medley. Juniors, Katie Rapp (Liverpool, NY) and Liz Delia (Oswego, NY) joined sophomore Liz Ruggiero (Congers, NY) to qualify for this evening’s final heats with times of 2:16.77, 2:16.87 and 2:18.44, respectively. For the men, sophomore John Fleckenstein (Port Jefferson, NY) led the Hawks with a time of 2:01.89, as freshman Chris Smith (Suffern, NY) (2:03.22) and sophomore Nick Johnson (Highland Mills, NY) (2:07.56) followed close behind.

The Hawks qualified in all relay events. Colebeck, sophomore Laura Lipp (St. James, NY), Davide and Williamson combined for a 1:42.77 in the 200-yard freestyle relay. Later, Delia, Davide, freshman Erica Ellis (Barneveld, NY) and Colebeck swam a 4:11.52 in the 400-yard medley relay. Sophomore Brendan Lown (Bohemia, NY), freshman Mark Chipman (Oswego, NY), senior Jeff Melton (Acworth, GA) and sophomore Mike Demerest (Long Beach, NY) touched with a time of 1:30.42 in the 200-yard freestyle relay. Sophomore Dan Roth (Deer Park, NY), Johnson, Smith and Lown teamed in the 400-yard medley relay to finish in 3:46.30.

Freshmen, Joelle Hopf (Vestal, NY) and Chad Santa Maria (Bordentown, NJ) each qualified for their respective teams in the 500-yard freestyle. Hopf finished in 5:24.89, while Santa Maria swam a 4:57.98.

All of SUNY New Paltz’s qualifying swimmers will compete in their respective event final heats in today’s evening session, beginning at 6:00 pm.

For complete results please visit the following website;

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