Metropolitan Conference Swimming Wrapping Up Midseason

Bridgeport Team

By Seren Jones, Swimming World College Intern

BROOKVILLE – For the majority of the Metropolitan Conference swimming teams, as the year of 2014 comes to a close so does the racing (at least until next year!) However, a remainder of the teams have one more shot left to swim fast and end the year with a splash. So it’s not over until it’s over.

A Blast From The Past

The Bridgeport Purple Knights wrapped up their mid-season meet at TCNJ Invitational in Ewing Township, N.J. Both teams finished 2014 on a high with two third-place finishes. The Purple Knights won a total of 24 events at the three-day meet. The men (862) were defeated by the host, TCNJ (1093) and Rowan University (914,) while the female Purple Knights (717) finished behind East Stroudsburg (832) and Rowan (734.)

Highlights of the meet include Tatiana Shepel’s three first-place finishes in the 50 (23.25,) 100 (50.64,) and 200 (1:53.01) freestyle, and Jaimy Taskin’s domination in the backstroke events clocking 58.16 and 2:04.37. Shepel’s times push her to the top of the conference and slot her among the top rankings in the nation in NCAA Division 2. Both sides touched first in the 1650 freestyle event with Claudia Esteban touching the wall in 17:58.23 and Ryan Gajdzisz finishing in 15:58.57, earning 20 points apiece for the team.

On the men’s side, captain Ruben Gimenez won both the freestyle dash events, finishing in a time of 20.41 in the 50 and 44.52 in the 100, while Antonio Nunez grabbed two golds in the 200 butterfly (1:48.55) and the 400 IM (3:57.46.) Both teams also dominated the 400 freestyle relay. Alja Tavcar, Sara Sovovic, Polina Melnikova, and Shepel assembled to grab gold in a time of 3:31.91, while the foursome of Didac Matsuyama, Vladislav Paskas, Ruben Gimenez, and Ivan Capan converged to clock a 3:00.51 finishing four seconds ahead of second place, TCNJ. The women’s relay puts them amid the nation’s top 15 teams, while the men comfortably sit in the top 10.

Adelphi University

Although most teams have completed their racing for the year, a few teams of the Metropolitan Conference remain to have some opportunities to swim fast at the dual meets that will take place next weekend. The NCAA Division I institution will take on William Paterson University on Saturday, Dec. 13 in Wayne, N.J.

The Adelphi Panthers, who recently competed in the ECAC Championships look to continue their fast swimming as they take on the Pioneers at 1 p.m. On the men’s side, expect to witness Peter D’Ortenzio, John Bellotti, and Gerry Theophilidis step up in the 100 freestyle event as well as D’Ortenzio competing in the butterfly races. John Rotol is expected to compete in the 500 freestyle, while teammate Zachary Mazur will partake in the 50 dash, and Michael Mayar in the 400 IM.

On the women’s side the Panthers plan to rule the 100 freestyle with the trio of Heather Miller, Jacqueline Vani, and Kelly Whelan representing the team. Also Danielle Dreiss, Kayla Tusa, and Pinki Sherpa intend on swimming the 100 butterfly.

The College of Staten Island

The College of Staten Island (CSI) will also be diving back into the water as the women’s team prepares to take on the Hunter College Hawks on Friday Dec. 12 in Staten Island, N.Y. Having recently defeated Brooklyn College, the Dolphins (3-4) intend on equalizing their current season record with a win before the end of the year. Expect to see Ewa Wojciechowska, Naomi Gaggi, Victoria Crea, and Kelly Walsh partake in the freestyle events, as well as Dakota Dawkins go for gold in the 100 breaststroke with her new best time and school record of 1:10.77.

Hunter College

On the opposing side, the Hawks are ready to race against the Dolphins and keep their thus far perfect season of 6-0. The Hawks have a strong line-up for the freestyle events. Jessica Lou and Christina Valente are predicted to dominate the 1000 freestyle, while Charlotte Collazo is set to swim the 200 and Christina Chu is presumed to step up for the 50 dash. Lindsey Pero and Shannon Lyver are also predicted to sprint the 100. Kelly Xue and Vanessa Xue are expected to battle it out for the 200 IM title, while Carla Canning and Emily DiPaola are assumed to swim in the same fashion in the 100 breaststroke.

Baruch College

The women’s team of Baruch College will swim their last meet of the year against John Jay College of Criminal Justice on Friday Dec. 12 in Manhattan, N.Y. Although the Baruch Bearcats raced at the ECAC Championships along with Adelphi, the women look to swim fast once again before the end of the semester. The team look to be swimming in the medley and freestyle relays, led by captains Rose Lee and Sally Lim.

As the end of the year swiftly approaches the Adelphi Panthers, CSI Dolphins, Hunter Hawks, and Baruch Bearcats, all intend on making the most of the final few weeks of 2014 by swimming to victory at their meets. At only the mid-point in the collegiate swimming season, the teams of the Metropolitan Conference have thus far performed spectacularly. Not only are they fighting for the top spots in the conference but they are also doing so on a national scale. Such fast swimming in the first half of the season can only mean that the Metropolitan Conference meet of 2015 may be one of the fastest ever recorded. Now that’s something worth swimming fast for.

Metropolitan Conference Teams

Adelphi University, Baruch College, College of Staten Island, Hunter College, Lehman College, LIU Post, *Montclair State University, Mount St. Mary College, Pace University, Queens College, *Ramapo College, *Rowan University, Southern Connecticut State University, St. Francis College, SUNY Maritime College, *The College of New Jersey, The College of St. Rose, University of Bridgeport, US Merchant Marine Academy, *William Paterson University.
*Indicates member of New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC)

Seren Jones is a junior butterfly/backstroker from Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom. The Metropolitan Conference individual champion grew up swimming for The City of Cardiff Swimming Club, and qualified for the Great Britain Olympic Trials in 2012.

 

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