SUNYAC Champion, Masterson, Garners ECAC Player of Week Honors

CENTERVILLE, MA — After swimming to four conference championships at the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Championship Meet, senior Joanna Masterson (Canandaigua, NY) has earned recognition as the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Player of the Week. Masterson already grabbed two Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championships in December. Masterson swam to a first place finish in the 50-yard freestyle, touching in 24.80, and in the 100-yard freestyle (54.85).

Masterson earned Most Valuable Female Swimmer Honors and garnered the Grace Mowatt Award at the conclusion of the SUNYAC Championship Meet. This marks the second time, in as many years, that Masterson has earned recognition as the top female swimmer in the SUNYAC. Masterson is now a two-time conference champion in the 50-yard freestyle and 200-yard freestyle, and a three-time conference champion in the 100-yard freestyle. The Grace Mowatt Award, earned by Masterson, is given annually at the SUNYAC Championship to the female swimmer who combines athletic accomplishment with academic achievement over a four-year period.

Masterson started out this year’s championship meet with a bang swimming to a new varsity, conference and meet record in the 50-yard freestyle during Friday’s opening preliminary round. Her time of 24.01, in the 50-yard freestyle, was a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Provisional Qualifying Time earning Masterson a trip to the University of Minnesota on March 9-11 for the NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championships. At the NCAA Championships, Masterson will also be participating in the in the 100-yard freestyle, in which she also earned a SUNYAC championship and finished with a National Provisional Qualifying Time of 52.89. Masterson swam a 1:56.90 in the 200-yard freestyle to set a new meet record and earn her a third individual SUNYAC championship. In the 200-yard medley relay, Masterson teamed with junior Katie Rapp (Liverpool, NY) and sophomores Laura Lipp (St. James, NY) and Liz Ruggiero (Congers, NY) for her fourth championship of the meet, touching in 1:51.15.