Swimming at ECAC Winter Championships – Coombs Leads Women’s Team

The SUNY New Paltz swimming teams competed at the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championship Nov. 30-Dec. 2 at the Nassau Aquatics Center in Eisenhower Park, located in East Meadow, NY. The women’s team finished fifth with 395.5 points and the men’s team placed 11th.

Senior Michelle Coombs claimed thee individual titles and was part of the three winning relays, in addition to two second place finishes. Coombs touched first in the 50 free (24.56), 100 free (53.20), 200 free (1:56.85). She was second in the 100 back (59.15) making a B Cut. She teamed with Regina Davide, Allison Wells, and Christine Rieth to win the 200 free relay in 1:39.23. Coombs, Hopf, Ellis and Rieth won the 200 and 400 medley relays in 1:50.19 and 4:03.47, respectively. The 400 free relay of Coombs, Rieth, Wells and Joelle Hopf touched second in 3:37.96.
Hopf claimed two third place finishes in the 100 and 200 breast in 1:08.63 and 2:29.57, respectively. She also placed eighth in the 200 IM (2:18.21) and an 11th place finish in the 400 IM (4:51.99), cutting nine seconds off her seed time. Rieth finished seventh in the 50 free (25.10) and eighth in the 100 free (55.09) and 19th in the 200 free (2:02.74). Ellis had four top 16 finishes as she placed seventh in the 100 fly (1:01.28), ninth in the 200 IM (2:18.64), 14th in the 200 fly (2:20.40), and 15th in the 100 breast.
Melinda Pullen and Jessica Lester each finished in the top 20 in two events. Pullen was the top finisher for New Paltz in the 500 and 1650 free, finishing 16th (5:28.91) and 11th (18:33.04), respectively. Lester swam to a 19th place finish in the 500 free (5:29.52) and touched 18th in the 1650 (18:59.90). Tiffany Sorrell had two top 16 finishes, with a 14th place time in the 200 breast (2:17.80) and a 16th place time in the 100 back (1:04.01). Sorrell, Lester and Hopf teamed with Allison Wells for a seventh place finish in the 800 free relay (8:17.89). Other top 16 place finishes included, Becky Baker in the 100 breast (9th), Laura Lipp in the 100 breast (14th), Amanda Cunningham in the 100 breast (16th), Wells in the 50 free (12th), Regina Davide in the 50 free (14th), Samantha Graham in the 100 back (13th), Liz Ruggiero in the 200 fly (13th).
Coombs finished second in individual points with 77, behinds Gettysburg’s Keira Heath (80). Hopf also placed in the top 25 for individual points, finishing 11th with 48.5.

On the men’s side sophomore Stephen Cozzolongo was 11th in the 100 back (55.94) and 16th in the 200 back (2:03.93). First year David Gardner was the top finisher for the Hawks in the 50, 100, 200, and 500 free finishing 24th (22.59), 27th (49.69), 28th (1:49.88), and 25th (5:03.73) respectively. Johnny Fleckenstein had two top 25 finishes for the Hawks as he finished 17th in the 400 IM (4:28.24) and 23rd in the 200 IM (2:06.83). First year Patrick Rathbun finished 29th in the 100 (1:05.45) and 200 breast (2:22.84). Other top finishes for the Hawks included Zack Lowenstein finished 15th (2:03.89) in the 200 back, Stefan Crain finished 24th in the 1650 in 18:13.31, Andrew Outcault touched 32nd in the 200 fly (2:15.54), and Robb Webb went 55.64 in the 100 fly (36th).
The 200 free relay of Gardner, Matt Demerest, Rathbun and Lowenstein touched 11th (1:30.77). The 400 free relay of Lowenstein, Rathbun, Webb and Gardner went 3:19.79 for a ninth place finish. The same combo finished 10th in the 800 free relay (7:30.59). The 200 medley relay of Cozzolongo, Rathbun, Webb and Gardner claimed an eighth place finish (1:40.79) and the 400 medley relay of Cozzolongo, Webb, Demerest and Lowenstein finished 11th (3:48.43).

For full results please visit http://www.besmarttinc.com/ by clicking on meet information and selecting the 2007 ECAC Winter Championships.