Both the men and women's swimming and diving teams once again returned from the SUNYAC Swimming and Diving Championships as victors. The championships were hosted by Erie Community College over the weekend.
The men captured their 13th consecutive SUNYAC title with the help of "Swimmer of the Meet" sophomore Austin Brennan's breakout performance. The Blue Wave recorded 854 points to blow away SUNY Cortland, who tallied 674 and placed second. Brennan placed first in the 100-yard butterfly and the 200-yard backstroke, third in the 100-yard backstroke and played an integral part in Geneseo's victories in the 400 medley and 400 freestyle relays. "[Brennan] really just exploded this past weekend … he swam out of his mind, like a man on a mission," said head coach Paul Dotterweich.
Geneseo received its usual production from juniors Ken Pink and Nate Foley as well. Pink won the 200 individual medley in one minute, 55.67 seconds, and the 200 breast in 2:08.66. Foley placed first in the 500 and 1650 freestyles in 4:41.56 and 16:22.11, respectively. This was the third year in a row in which Foley and Pink won these events at the SUNYAC Championships.
Junior C.J. Schaub had an excellent weekend, winning the 100 breast in 52.27 just after posting a SUNYAC meet and school record and an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 57.10 in the preliminaries. Schaub racked up even more points for the Blue Wave with a second place finish in the 200 IM, third in the 200 breast and first in the 200 medley relay with juniors Andrew Kuter and Josh Kaplan and sophomore Frank Schiappa.
Senior Wills DeMoulin led the way for Geneseo's divers, winning both the one meter board with a score of 455.10 and the three meter board with a 489.75.
The women's team also returned victorious, winning their fourth consecutive SUNYAC Championship with 771.5 points to runner-up SUNY New Paltz's 664.5. Senior Michelle Rodriguez was dominant as usual, placing first in the 500-yard freestyle in an NCAA provisional time of 5:00.12, first in the 200-yard freestyle in 1:52.13 and first in the 100 freestyle in 51.44.
"Michelle was … well, Michelle," Dotterweich said of the senior's championship performance. Rodriguez also swam with fellow senior Jennifer Anthone, freshman Lauren Boyce and sophomore Elyssa Max to take the 200 free relay in an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 1:36.77.
While the final score was not very close, earning the top spot in the conference was not a sure thing as the Blue Wave entered the final day of the competition up only 50 points.
"It was good for us to be challenged. New Paltz is a very good women's team and they performed very well," Dotterweich said.
In addition to winning the men's and women's SUNYAC Championships, Geneseo came away with five of the eight SUNYAC awards presented at the meet. DeMoulin won Male Diver of the Meet, Brennan was recognized as Male Swimmer of the Meet and Rodriguez won Female Swimmer of the Meet and the Grace Mowatt Award, an annual honor given to a senior female who exhibits All America and All-SUNYAC honors and shows improvement throughout her collegiate career as well as academic achievement.
Dotterweich was honored with the Coach of the Year Award.
"It's nice to be recognized by your peers, but I think the Coach of the Year award is a team award … I think it's the guys, the athletes. They get it done and they perform. They make me look good," said Dotterweich.
Geneseo travels to the Kenyon Last Chance meet this weekend, where some swimmers hope to shave a few tenths off of their times in order to make the NCAA provisional cut times. Kenyon is the last meet before the NCAA Division III Championships on March 23 in Knoxville, Tenn.