Rider, Marist Lead After Day 1 of Metro Atlantic Championships

Photo Courtesy: Rider Athletics

The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference teams concluded the first day of the 2016 Men’s & Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships at the Burt Flickinger Athletic Center in Buffalo, New York with three MAAC all-time records.

After the first day of competition, the Rider University men’s team finished in first place with a total of 80 points. Bryant University and Marist College trailed close behind with 66 points apiece, while fourth place Niagara University registered 58 points. Iona College followed with 56 points and Canisius College finished the night in sixth with 54 points. Fairfield University and Manhattan College stand tied for seventh place with 46 points each, while Monmouth University ended the night with 36 points.

On the women’s side, Marist College led all with 117 points. Rider University stands in second place with 95 points and Canisius College holds third with 85 points. Fairfield University and Siena College tied for fourth place with 79 points each. Coming in sixth is Niagara University with 67 points and Iona College followed with 58 points. Rounding out the scores is Manhattan College with 44 points and Monmouth University with 36 points.

The Rider University men had a stellar start to the meet, breaking the seven-year-old all-time MAAC record in the men’s 200-yard medley relay. The foursome comprised of Luke Musselman, Adam Phillips, Zachary Molloy, and Matthan-Matthew Martir recorded a time of 1:29.13, which was almost a full second under the previous record set by Loyola University in 2009. Shortly afterwards, the foursome of William Molloy, Vincent Gibbons, Sam Cramer, and Zachary Molloy went on to break a second MAAC record in the 800-yard Freestyle Relay. Their time of 6:34.15 smashed the previous record by more than ten seconds.

Bryant University trailed close behind Rider for a second place finish in the 200-yard Medley Relay with a time of 1:30.17 as Marist finished third with a time of 1:31.53. Roles were reversed in the men’s 800-yard Freestyle Relay as Marist took second place and Bryant finished third.

The Marist women also had a successful first day of competition. After taking second place in the 200-yard Medley Relay, divers Megan Berardelli and Renata Diotalevi went on to complete a 1, 2 finish on 3-M. Two-time MAAC Diver of the Week, Berardelli took gold with a score of 296.95 and three-time MAAC Diver of the Week, Diotalevi finished second with a score of 261.70. To end the evening, the 800-yard Freestyle Relay took first place in record-breaking time. Curley, Nestrowitz, Powhida, and Wurtz combined efforts to swim a time of 7:29.41 and better the previous MAAC record by two seconds.

Rider University took first place in the women’s 200-yard Medley Relay to start all competition for the 2016 MAAC Swimming and Diving Championships. The victorious Broncs consisted of Taylor Stalnaker, Julianna Runk, Ariana Palmer, and Jacquelynn Parker who won in a time of 1:43.58. Coming in second was Marist College with a time of 1:44.12 and following in third was Canisius College in 1:46.82. In the women’s 800-yard Freestyle Relay, Canisius College took seconds place with a time of 7:36.97 and Iona College finished third in 7:40.62.

Men’s Scores			Women’s Scores
1.	Rider	80	1.	Marist	117
2.	Bryant	66	2.	Rider	95
3.	Marist	66	3.	Canisius	85
4.	Niagara	58	4.	Fairfield	79
5.	Iona	56	4.	Siena	79
6.	Canisius	54	6.	Niagara	67
7.	Fairfield	46	7.	Iona	58
8.	Manhattan	46	8.	Manhattan	44
9.	Monmouth	36	9.	Monmouth	36

MAAC contributed this report.

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