Adelphi University Announces 2017-18 Incoming Class

After a successful 2016-17 campaign, Adelphi University Swimming & Diving Coach Bobby Smith has announced his incoming class for the 2017-18 season.

Last season, the Panthers were led by freshman Emma Brown who set a new school record in the 100 fly and the quartet of Peter D’Ortenzio, Noah Strong, JV Sarabia and Zack Vreeland who set a new mark in the 200 medley relay.

Smith led the men’s team to a sixth-place finish at the NE-10 Championships in February, while the women finished seventh.

Adelphi University Announces 13 Additions to Swimming & Diving Roster

Garden City, N.Y. – Head Coach Bobby Smith of Adelphi swimming and diving has announced the addition of eight student-athletes to the men’s program and five to the women’s squad for the upcoming season.

Joining the men will be Dan Cellamare (Melville, N.Y.), Jordan Harris (Putnam Valley, N.Y.) Dan Lee (Dix Hills, N.Y.), Eian McKeon (Pine Bush, N.Y.), Andrew Moran (Peoria, Illi.), Kyle Sheinberg (Oceanside, N.Y.), Jack Wheeler (East Lyme, Conn.) and Ryan Zhang (Queens, N.Y.).

Donning the Brown and Gold for the first season on the women’s side are Halle Durand (St. Louis, Mo.), Emily Kiernan (Farmingdale, N.Y.), Olivia Leger (Slate Hill, N.Y.), Natasha Rice (Oakdale, N.Y.) and Ashling Whelan (Forest Hills, N.Y.).

Cellamare, a product of Saint Anthony’s High School joins the Panthers after competing for the Friars and his travel team, Team Suffolk. He primarily swims butterfly and freestyle events, placing in the top eight in the men’s 100-yard butterfly at the 2017 Catholic High School Athletic Association Championships.

“Dan is a local sprint freestyle and butterflier,” commented Smith. “We expect to see a stand out first season from him with the Panthers.”

Harris, a standout for the Indians at Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk High School, will compete for the Brown and Gold in butterfly and backstroke events. To cap of his senior campaign, the Putnam Valley, N.Y. native placed first in the 100-yard backstroke event at the New York Section II Division 2 Championships.

“Jordan is coming off a great senior year season and we’re looking to continue his progression upward for the next four years at Adelphi.”

McKeon comes to Garden City from Pine Bush, where he spent his time swimming mid-distance and IM relays for the Bushmen. He was most recently a second-place finisher in both the 100 and 200 yard freestyle races at the New York Section IX Championships and ranks 74th in New York State according to collegeswimming.com. He was also a recipient of the Dwight D. Eisenhower leadership award and was selected as an Orange County Interscholastic Athletic Association (OCIAA) Senior Scholar Athlete.

“Eian is a tremendously versatile swimmer, from freestyle to IM; we’re excited for his role as a Panther.”

Moran, who is one of two out-of-state athletes joining the men’s squad, is skilled in the sprint freestyle and backstroke events. He was a member of the National Honor Society and a conference winner in the backstroke as well as a IHSA State Qualifier in each of the past two seasons. He was also named to the Speedo Sectional team as a junior and a senior. Hailing from Peoria, Illinois, he is “a top sprint free/backstroker” and “the staff will look to to cultivate his strong work ethic in his future career as a Panther.”

Sheinberg was a founding member of the swim program at Oceanside High School, where he worked tirelessly to be named All-Conference and All-Division. He also earned the title of captain as he competed in distance freestyle and butterfly events.

“Kyle fills a much needed role in our distance program,” said Smith. “Joining us from a top local team, be sure to keep an eye on him the next four years.”

A Connecticut native, Wheeler will join Adelphi as the “top incoming breaststroker” and will be a strong addition to the current breaststroke group. As a Viking at East Lyme High School, he was named team MVP after his senior campaign and currently holds the school record in the 100-yard breaststroke event. Additionally, he placed fifth in the CIAC Class M State Championships and was voted All-Conference by the both the Norwich Bulletin and The Day.

The final member to join the men’s side is Zhang, a native of China who currently hails from Queens, N.Y. He attended Francis Lewis High School, competing for the Patriots in the sprint freestyle and butterfly events. “Ryan is a self-motivated and talented swimmer with only a few years experience in swimming since moving to the US from China. With the right training, Ryan will be a heavy-hitter for the Panthers.”

Durand is the first women’s newcomer traveling to Garden City from outside New York, as a St. Louis, Mo. native. Her best event is the sprint breaststroke, which Smith feels will add to the strong incoming and returning Panther breaststroke/IM group. According to collegeswimming.com, she ranks in the top-100 for college recruits in the state of Missouri.

Leger, who swam for the Minisink Valley Warriors and “comes from a strong background,” will “join the mid-distance group with plenty of potential as she starts her career at Adelphi.” She competed in both the Sectional Championships and OCIAA Championships, with freestyle becoming her best event.

The final three additions to the women’s side will not have to travel far to reach the Center for Recreation and Sport as they all hail from Long Island. Kiernan is a local swimmer with “a ton of untapped potential”, swimming the butterfly and backstroke events for the Farmingdale Aquatic Club. Rice was named All-League, All-County, All-Long Island and All-State at Connetquot High School, performing in the backstroke and sprint freestyle events.
“Natasha is our top incoming backstroker — she is certain to be a conference point-scorer for the Panthers,” said Smith.

Rounding out the newcomers is Whelan, who has family ties to the Adelphi swim program, as her sister Kelly was a four-year letterwinner and captain for the Panthers.

“Ashling is a sprint breaststroker adding to our great incoming breaststroke class — we expect to see great things from Ashling as a Panther.”

Press release courtesy of Adelphi Athletics.

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Julie Ann Smith

6 years ago

Barbra Moran