NEW PALTZ, NY — The 2007-08 season was highlighted by a 17th place team finish at nationals, which was bitter sweet for long time head coach Brian Williams. Williams made the decision to step down from coaching at the conclusion of the season to focus strictly on his administrative duties.
Michelle Coombs earned three first team All-America honors with a third place finish in the 50 free (23.50), third in the 100 back (57.20) and fifth in the 100 free (51.46). Coombs teamed up with Becky Baker, Erica Ellis and Christine Reith to finish 14th in the 200 medley relay, 16th in the 200 free relay, 17th in the 400 medley relay and 21st in the 400 free relay. The 200 MR and 200 FR earned honorable mention All-American honors.
The women’s team swam to a program best second place finish at the SUNYAC meet. The women totaled 607 points to finish behind Geneseo’s 801 points. Coombs was named the Outstanding Female Swimmer of the meet at the SUNYAC Championships for the second consecutive year. She was the lone female to earn first team all-conference honors, while Ellis, Baker, Jessica Lester and Marissa Morris were each named to the second team. Coombs successfully defended her titles in the 50, 100 and 200 freestyle events and was part of the winning 200 and 400 medley relays. Ellis broke her own varsity record in the 100 fly with a second place finish in 1:00.35 and Lester took second in the 1650 free in 18:16.33. Baker set a school record of 1:07.42 to place third in the 100 breast and Morris was third in the 200 free in 1:57.75.
Coombs, Baker, Ellis, and Rieth set a new meet and conference record in the 200 medley in 1:46.94 while the 200 free relay of Coombs, Regina Davide, Allison Wells and Reith set a varsity record in 1:36.94. Coombs teamed with Rieth, Morris and Wells to capture second in the 400 free relay in a new varsity record of 3:33.51.
All together the women set six new varsity records, one meet record and one conference record. New Paltz posted a 7-3 dual meet record.
