Swimming Opens Season at Hartwick

ONEONTA, NY — The SUNY New Paltz women’s and men’s swimming teams traveled to Hartwick College Saturday afternoon for their first meet of the season. The women defeated Hartwick 107-93 to capture their first win of the season as the men fell 72-131.

The SUNY New Paltz women started out on the right foot with a first place finish in the 200-yard medley relay of Katie Rapp, Laura Lipp, Liz Ruggiero, and Michelle Coombs. The four broke an 18 year old pool record with a time of 1:54.03.

Coombs took first place in the 200 yard freestyle (1:58.32), Ashley Williamson captured the 50-yard freestyle in 26 seconds flat with Beth Colebeck close behind in second at 26.43

The 200-yard individual medley saw the Hawks swim to three of the top four places with Delia claiming first (2:20.78), Rapp in second (2:22.42) and Ruggerio capturing fourth (2:25.16). Coombs captured her second individual first place finish in the 100-yard freestyle in a time of 54 seconds. Regina Davide touched in 58.05 for a second place finish and Colebeck took fourth in 59.07.

Rapp, Samantha Graham and Williamson swept the 100-yard backstroke with a 1-2-3 finish. Rapp touched in 1:04.12, Graham finished at 1:06.83 and Williamson finished in 1:07.22.

In the men’s meet, New Paltz took home two first place finishes. First year Zack Lowenstein claimed the 200-yard individual medley in 2:06.16, edging out Hartwick by three tenths of a second. Johnny Fleckenstein took third in the event in 2:09.40. The 200-yard freestyle relay took home first and second place. The first place team consisted of Brian Bennett, Brendan Lown, Fleckenstein, and Kevin Kent who swam to a 1:35.09. Stefan Crain, Jimmy Ireland, Mark Chipman, and Chris Kinney touched in 1:39.02.

Lowenstein captured a second place finish in the 100-yard backstroke in 57.96. Fleckenstein and Bennett took a 2-3 finish in the 500-yard freestyle in 5:14.78 and 5:17.01, respectively. Danny Lo took second in the 100-yard breaststroke in 1:05.37.

The SUNY New Paltz swim teams will return to action Saturday October 28, at Union College for the Union Relays.