By Chrissy Onorato and Ryan Molicki
Staff Writers
Both the men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams have begun their seasons as strong as ever. With three meets completed so far for each team, they have emerged victorious in all.
The first meet of the season came against Montclair State University on Friday, Oct. 25. The men’s team came out with a 129-94 win, showing how ready it is for this season to get underway.
Early in the meet, the Lions came up with first- and second-place finishes in the 200-medley relay as junior Aleksander Burzynski, sophomore James Shangle, sophomore Joseph Dunn and senior Philip Hawley grabbed the victory.
Freshman Scott Vitabile then came in first in the 1,000-freestyle, while freshman Jason Ivins placed third.
Dunn had a remarkable first meet of the season, as he placed first in the 50-free, 100-butterfly and 400-medley relay. In the 50-free, his teammates junior Brett Pedersen and senior Michael Oliva placed second and third, sweeping the podium.
In the 100-free, Pedersen came in first with a time of 48.13 while Hawley and freshman Andrew Nesbitt came in second and third.
Burzynski placed first in the 100-backstroke with a time of 56.43, while junior Matthew VanBiervliet finished second.
In the diving event, sophomore Daniel Tsinis came in first in the 1-meter and 3-meter competitions.
The women’s team was just as successful in its first opener of the season as well, claiming a narrow 119-111 victory over Montclair.
The College won the 400-freestyle relay as freshman Colleen Magley, freshman Brenna Strollo, sophomore Lauren Rothstein and junior Summer Thomas worked well together and finished with a time of 3:47.05. Thomas also took the 100- and 200-free events while Strollo took the 100-backstroke and finished second in the 1,000-free.
“The team is great,” freshman Strollo, who was named the NJAC rookie of the week, said. “Being able to compete at our own pool with our friends and family around was fantastic. I had a blast at the season opener.”
Senior Amy Schurer came in second in the 200-individual medley and in the 100-butterfly, while junior Brennah Ross came in first in the 50-free and senior Nina Sabatini finished third.
In the diving events, sophomore Edith Duggan came in first in the 1-meter and 3-meter events.
The College then took on Ramapo College a few days later when both teams came out with the wins again. The men defeated their opponents 156-95 while the women defeated theirs 164.5-92.5.
On the men’s side, the College took all 12 individual competitions and both relays. Vitabile came in first in the 200-butterfly and the 100-free. Freshman Ryan Gadjzisz claimed the 1000-free, 500-free and 200 individual medley.
The 400-medley relay team was made up of Burzynski, Shangle, Dunn and Nesbitt and came out victorious with a time of 2:09.31.
Burzynski claimed the top spot in the 200-backstroke, Nesbitt in the 50-free and Dunn in the 200-free. Freshman Vince Masciandaro placed first in the 100-breast.
The women’s day was equally dominant as the men’s.
The 400-medley team consisted of senior Ashley Conroy, senior Kelsey Sumple, Schurer and Ross. They took the first spot with a time of 4:15.96.
Schurer came in first place in the 200-butterfly and 200-backstroke as well, and Ross claimed the 100-free.
The final event of the week came against Southern Connecticut State University where the men took the win 169.5-116.5 and the women took their win 157-131.
In the 200-medley, the men took the win with a time of 1:36.08. Gadjzisz had another impressive day as he came in first in the 200-individual medley and the 500-free. He also placed second in the 1,000-free.
Burzynski claimed the 100-backstroke while Dunn captured the 100-butterfly. Nesbitt then won the 200-free.
On the women’s team, Schurer and Thomas placed first and second in the 200-IM, and the 400-free relay was conquered by Rothstein, Ross, Conroy and senior Michelle Sanders.
Sophomore Eilish Devine captured the 1,000-yard in the distance free events.
The Lions are off this coming week before they head to New York University on Saturday, Nov. 16.
