Swimming Opens season at Hartwick

The SUNY New Paltz women’s and men’s swimming teams traveled to Hartwick College Saturday afternoon for their first meet of the season.

The women defeated Hartwick 107-93 to capture their first win of the season as the men fell 72-131. The SUNY New Paltz women started out on the right foot with a first place finish in the 200-yard medley relay of Katie Rapp, Laura Lipp, Liz Ruggiero, and Michelle Coombs. The four set a pool record time of 1:54.03. Coombs took first place in the 200 yard freestyle (1:58.32), Ashley Williamson captured the 50-yard freestyle in 26 seconds flat with Beth Colebeck close behind in second at 26.43

The 200-yard individual medley saw the Hawks swim to three of the top four places with Delia claiming first (2:20.78), Rapp in second (2:22.42) and Ruggerio capturing fourth (2:25.16). Coombs captured her second individual first place finish in the 100-yard freestyle in a time of 54 seconds. Regina Davide touched in 58.05 for a second place finish and Colebeck took fourth in 59.07. Rapp, Samantha Graham and Williamson swept the 100-yard backstroke with a 1-2-3 finish. Rapp touched in 1:04.12, Graham finished at 1:06.83 and Williamson finished in 1:07.22.

In the men’s meet, New Paltz took home two first place finishes. First year Zack Lowenstein claimed the 200-yard individual medley in 2:06.16, edging out Hartwick by three tenths of a second. Johnny Fleckenstein took third in the event in 2:09.40.

The 200-yard freestyle relay took home first and second place. The first place team consisted of Brian Bennett, Brendan Lown, Fleckenstein, and Kevin Kent who swam to a 1:35.09. Stefan Crain, Jimmy Ireland, Mark Chipman, and Chris Kinney touched in 1:39.02. Lowenstein captured a second place finish in the 100-yard backstroke in 57.96. Fleckenstein and Bennett took a 2-3 finish in the 500-yard freestyle in 5:08.78 and 5:14.01, respectively. Danny Lo took second in the 100-yard breaststroke in 1:05.37.

The SUNY New Paltz swim teams will return to action Saturday October 28, at Union College for the Union Relays.