Posted: Feb 18, 2014
Diving will kick off the Championships Wednesday with the preliminary session starting at 12:30 p.m. Starting Thursday and running through Saturday, swimming and diving preliminaries will begin at 10:00 a.m. each day followed by the event finals each evening starting at 6:00 p.m.
The Cortland Red Dragons men won their first SUNYAC Championship since 1998 last year and they hope to pull a repeat this year after disrupting the 14-year streak from Geneseo in 2013 to capture the title 795 to 726. The Geneseo Knights seem to be the heavy favorites after they have dominated the top times this season in almost every event.
As for the women, it was the Geneseo Knights who won the championship for the sixth straight year last year with a score of 772 and hope to win it all again with many returners. They are led by junior Abigail Max who has been dominant this year and hopes to continue at the SUNYAC Championships. With many top performance times this season both SUNY New Paltz, and SUNY Cortland are determined to stand in the way of a seventh consecutive title for the Knights.
Tickets will be sold at the door for both prelims and finals each day. The cost is $6 per adult and $3 for children ages 6-12. SUNYAC college students with ID and kids five and under are free. All-sessions passes will also be made available at the door. An adult pass is $30 and is good for all six sessions (prelims and finals). Included with the pass will be one heat sheet for each session. A child pass is $15 and good for all six sessions (prelims and finals). No heat sheet will be included with this pass.
After an unprecedented 25 different SUNYAC championship records broken last year it will be interesting to see what happens this year. Which SUNYAC teams are going to take the 2014 SUNYAC Men's and Women's Swimming and Diving Titles?
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Live Results
2014 SUNYAC Swimming and Diving Championship Program (PDF)
2014 Men's Swimming and Diving Events Preview
Diving
1 Meter Diving: Fredonia State graduate, Ryan Fuller went out on top as he once again won the diving event making that three in a row to close out his prestigious career. Now that he is gone it is time for someone else to shine and that may be four time diver of the week Jermaine Miller (Oneonta) who finished second to Fuller last year. He will have some competition though as three time diver of the week Brandon Peifer (Geneseo) and Alec Fleet (Buffalo State) hope to make a mark in this event as well. Fleet broke the SUNYAC one meter dive (6) record set in 2008 with a score of 365.25.
3 Meter Diving: Since Ryan Fuller is gone this event is up for grabs with the favorites Jermaine Miller(Oneonta), Jeff Matter (Fredonia), Brandon Peifer (Geneseo) and Alec Fleet (Buffalo State) all hoping to capture the title of best diver.
Swimming
50 Freestyle: Frank Schiappa (Geneseo) took the 50 freestyle last year but with him graduated someone else will have a chance to win the title. John Estanislau (Fredonia State) who is a three time swimmer of the week has the best time this year at 21.37, and Reeve Callen (Cortland) at 21.85 will be the front runners to win it this year.
100 Freestyle: This event should be a great one to watch as we have three male athletes fighting for the right to be called champion. John Estanislau has the best time in the event at 47.13. Yonghoon Jun is right behind him with a time of 47.37, followed by Reeve Callen at 47.66.
200 Freestyle: Cortland Red Dragon's sophomore Reeve Callen got the win last year in the event and hopes to do it again this year as well. Reeve has the top time again this year at 1:44.93
500 Freestyle: John Nasky (Geneseo) won the 500 freestyle this year, but is not the one with the top time this year. Reeve Callen with a time of 4:49.22 is the top swimmer right now though Nasky is right behind him with a time of 4:50.30. Benjamin Greenspan (Geneseo) a teammate of Nasky hopes to get his name called as the winner also (4:51.89). This event is sure to be a very exciting one.
1650 Freestyle: John Nasky took the event last year by a good margin and hopes to do it again this year as he once again has the best time at 16:32.79. This event seems to be his specialty but there are other swimmers hoping to put a stop to his dominance.
100 Backstroke: Alex Miller an Oneonta Red Dragon won the event last year making him a champion in back-to-back years, but now that he has graduated a new champion will emerge. Colton Roe, (Oneonta) a former teammate of Miller has a top time this year at 52.64 and will hope to have Oneonta keep the title of the 100 backstroke.
200 Backstroke: With reigning champion Alex Miller gone a new champion will emerge this year and it could be anyone's game.
100 Breaststroke: After not winning this event since 1998 the Potsdam Bears have now won back-to-back in the breaststroke and hope to make it a triple crown with senior Richard Zimmerman. Zimmerman has the best time as of now with 59.82, but it will not be an easy task as Kenneth Athans (Geneseo) and Jack Jakubek (Cortland) both put up top times as well. This battle will sure be one for the ages.
200 Breaststroke: Alexander Taylor has won this and the 100 breaststroke back-to-back years, but now that he has graduated someone new will have to come in and take the title. Newcomer Adam Clouthier (Fredonia) has a top time this year with a time of 2:14. SUNY Cortland Freshman Adam Opsahl is right behind Clouthier with a time of 2:14.85. It's Richard Zimmerman (Potsdam) though with the best time at 2:12.64, and hopes to follow in his old teammates footsteps and win both events.
100 Butterfly: Yonhoon Jun (Geneseo) who won the event last year is once again the favorite to win this year as he has the best time so far this year at 50.81. Fredonia State Senior Jon Estanislau hopes to give Jun a run for his money.
200 Butterfly: Just like the 100 Butterfly YonHoon Jun (Geneseo) won this event last year and hopes to continue his winning ways and win back to back. He has been dominant in these events his first two years and will hope to continue this trend. Austin Moyer (Brockport) and Lucas Santiago (Oneonta) should be up in the top three as well.
200 IM: Sophomore Geneseo Knight Kristian Talios hopes to win back-to-back titles in this event, but it is teammate Kenny Athans (Geneseo) who has the best time so far this year. Mixed in between them is Joseph Galan (Oneonta) which means this event will be as exciting as they come.
400 IM: Last year it was Oneonta's Alex Miller who came out of nowhere to win the event. This year it's the same three men who are competing for the 200 IM who will look to win this event, with Joseph Galan (Oneonta) who looks to be the favorite this year as he put up the best time at 4:13.37. Geneseo Knights Kenny Athans and Kristian Talios look to be in the mix as well.
200 Free Relay: Last year SUNY Cortland took the 200 relay with a time of 1:22.89, but after losing all four members of the team they are not even in the top three this year for best time. Fredonia State looks to be the favorite this year with 1:26.14 followed by Geneseo and SUNY Oneonta
400 Free Relay: After losing to SUNY Cortland by less than two seconds, Geneseo looks to win this event as they have will return two of their strongest swimmers in Yonhoon Jun and Tyler Roth. It is Fredonia State though who has best time in this event this season with a time of 3:09.88 which is a little over 2 seconds better than Geneseo.
800 Free Relay: Last Year SUNY Cortland won the event with a time of 6:55.77. This year it seems like it is just going to be a battle between three teams. Fredonia State has the best chance of winning this year as their time was 7:10.97. SUNY Oneonta and Geneseo are the other two teams that look to finish in the top three in the event.
200 Medley Relay: SUNY Cortland and Geneseo continue to switch as champions in this event as Geneseo took home the title last year in record setting fashion as they now have the all-time record in the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:33.05. We now look forward to this year as Geneseo is once again the favorites to win the event. They have the best time this year so far beating out SUNY Oneonta by a little under two seconds and Fredonia State and SUNY Cortland by a little under three seconds. Can this be the year we see a school win back-to-back titles? This event for sure will be an interesting one to watch.
400 Medley Relay: The Geneseo Knights got the win in this event last year in incredible fashion as they beat the record in the 400 Medley, with a time of 3:25.00. Will losing two of their swimmers have an impact on them? Both Fredonia State and SUNY Oneonta have almost a two second lead on Geneseo with times of 3:34.77 (Fredonia) and 3:34.89 (Oneonta). Will Geneseo be able to bounce back from losing key members of their team? Or will we have a new champion on the horizon?
2014 Women's Swimming and Diving Events Preview
Diving
1 Meter Diving: Fredonia State continues to dominate the diving events as they had all three top finishers last year in this event, with Ashley Keller winning it all. With Sarah Ficarro now gone it's up to senior Ashley Keller and Katelyn Haley to keep the diving championship at Fredonia, but there are other hungry competitors this year looking to put a stop to Fredonia State's reign.
3 Meter Diving: Sarah Ficarro won the event last year but now that she has graduated a new champion will emerge. There is of course favorite Ashley Keller and Katelyn Haley both from Fredonia State, but there is also senior Emily Wanamaker (Geneseo), a three time diver of the week who is hoping to finish her final year with a championship.
Swimming
50 Freestyle: Sarah Culmo (Cortland) not only won the event two years in a row now, but she also set the record last year for the best 50 freestyle, with a time of 23.53. Culmo hopes to win her third title in three years but it won't be easy. Taylor Schaffert (Brockport) has the best time this year at 24.55 just over a twentieth better than Culmo. Other contenders are Abigail Max (Geneseo), Stephanie Wilcoxen (Geneseo), Erin Luke (Brockport), and Julie Holloway (Geneseo) who are all within tenths of a second of each other. This one sure will be one of the more entertaining battles to come this year as anyone has a chance to win the event.
100 Freestyle: Cortland Red Dragon Sarah Culmo hopes to once again win the event for the third straight time this year. Although Culmo finds herself in an unfamiliar place this year, as she is just inside the top five in times for this event. Abigail Max (Geneseo) has the best time so far this year as her time is 52.78, followed by teammates Victoria Scalise, and Cassidy Griger, both from New Paltz. It will once again be a great matchup with Culmo looking for her third straight title.
200 Freestyle: Abigail Max (Geneseo) is the defending champion who hopes to once again take home the gold as she has the best time this year going into SUNYAC's with a time of 1:52.74. Although three New-Paltz Hawks hope to put a stop to that as Cassidy Griger, Victoria Scalise, and Chelsea Allocco look to win their first 200 freestyle.
500 Freestyle: Just like last year all three competitors who finished first, second, and third are back for vengeance for what sure should be an instant classic. Abigail Max (Geneseo) who won the last two years in a row out lasting both Chelsea Allocco (New Paltz), and Krista Caputo (Cortland). This is the last year for senior Allocco who has the best time so far this year at 5:00.76. There is now a new name in the mix as well, as freshman Sophie Defreitas (Geneseo) is looking to win her first event at SUNYACs.
1650 Freestyle: Chelsea Allocco (New Paltz) has dominated every year in this event, and seems determined to finish her career with another win. She has the best time by far this year at 17:17.62 an overwhelming 34 seconds over her next opponent. She has the all-time record of the 1650 at 17:09.02. Others hoping to finish in the top three are teammates from Geneseo Sophie Defreitas, and Abigail Max.
100 Backstroke: Now that Yuka Suzuka has graduated we will have a new champion of this event. Geneseo Knight Abigail Max, has the best time this year with 59.11, but its closely followed by Brockport Taylor Schaffert is right behind her with a time of 1:00.07.
200 Backstroke: Abigail Max (Geneseo) who finished second last year to Yuka Suzuka is considered the favorite in this event as she has the best time at 2:05.64, five seconds better than the rest of the field. Lauren Boyce (Geneseo), Taylor Schaffert (Brockport) and Stephanie Rosa (Fredonia), will all be fighting for top three spots as well.
100 Breaststroke: Kaitlin Wilcoxen won this event last year, but now that she is gone junior Micheala Auer (Cortland) who won this event two years ago hopes to get back on the winning end. Melanie Melewski (Brockport)) has the best time for the event this year with a time of 1:07.37. Right behind her is Auer with a time of 1:08.28. This one will come right down to the end.
200 Breaststroke: With everyone who finished in the top three in 2013 graduated you will see a new group of women swimming for the win. Brockport Golden Eagle Melanie Melewski looks to finish strong as she has the best time this year in the event, followed by Larissa Dobson (Fredonia State) and Samantha Granan (New Paltz).
100 Butterfly: Abigail Max (Geneseo) hopes to take another event this year as she once again has one of the top times to beat at 1:00.07. Although it is teammate Lily Powell who seems to be the favorite, after posting the best time this season at 58.73 at the Ithaca Invitational. Chrisanna Hickey should be in the mix also.
200 Butterfly: Lily Powell (Geneseo) who took second last year in this event hopes to move up a spot and touch the wall first this year as she has the time to beat at 2:10.46 a second lead over teammate Abigail Max. Other contenders are Kimberly Kallansrude (New Paltz) and Chrisanna Hickey (Cortland) who look to take the event away from Geneseo.
200 IM: For the first time in a while we could see a top three all from the same school. The Geneseo Knights have four girls who all have top five times this year in the event with fifth year senior Lily Powell leading the way with a time of 2:12.31. But watch out for Melanie Melewski (Brockport) who is trying to spoil the party as she is right behind Powell with a time of 2:12.38. This event will sure be a fun one to watch.
400 IM: Can anyone stop New Paltz Hawks senior Chelsea Allocco in this event? She has won it the last two years and now once again has the top time this year by a wide margin. Allocco, who also set the record in the event last year hopes to win this event one more time before she graduates, but Abigail Max (Geneseo) and Lauren Zentko (Oneonta) hope to play spoiler.
200 Free Relay: The Cortland Red Dragons have won back-to-back years now, and hope to win it again this year. With three swimmers returning from last year and having the best time again this year with a time of 1:37.65. Geneseo and New Paltz have the second and third best times respectively, and will be battling Cortland to touch the wall first.
400 Free Relay: The Geneseo Knights have dominated this event over the years, even after losing female athletes to graduation they still come up with a new lineup to win the event every year. This year is no different even though they lost two members of their team they have the best time for this event by over eight seconds. SUNY New Paltz, The College at Brockport, and Fredonia State will be battling for second and third place.
800 Free Relay: In this event last year the Geneseo Knights set the record for best time in the 800 free relay with a time of 7:37.97. The event seems to always come down to either Geneseo or New Paltz and this year will be no different. New Paltz has the best time so far this year with a time of 7:45.20 that is fifteen seconds better than Geneseo this year. New Paltz should be able to take this event this year.
200 Medley Relay: In what should be one of the more entertaining events of the championships, three teams look to call themselves champions of the 200 Medley. Geneseo, Brockport, and New Paltz look to be the frontrunners in the event as they all have the best times this year as they are within a second of each other, with Geneseo having the best time. New Paltz took the event last year so it will be interesting to see if they can win it again this year, or if we will have a new champion.
400 Medley Relay: The Geneseo Knights hope to win three titles in a row this year after winning the last two. Last year they set the record for best time in the event with a time of 3:51.14. This year they have the best time again with just under a two second lead over Brockport. It should come down to these two schools to see who will be the winner of the 400 medley.
