Bates Women, Colby College Men Win Maine State Meet

2019 Maine State Meet

• December 6-7, 2019
• Brunswick, Maine
• Results

Courtesy: Bates Athletics

BRUNSWICK, Maine — The Bates women swam away with their fifth first-place finish in the five-year history of the Maine State Swimming & Diving Meet, while the Bates men’s team missed winning the title for the first time, settling for a close second place behind Colby, as the two-day meet concluded Saturday at Bowdoin.

The Bates women finished the meet with 1,308 points, easily outdistancing runner-up Bowdoin (861), followed by Colby (654.5), the University of Maine (468.5), the University of New England (50), Maine Maritime (22) and Saint Joseph’s (10). The Bates men scored 1,024 points, trailing Colby (1,096.83) while scoring well ahead of Bowdoin (747.66), Maine (288.5), Maine Maritime (50) and Saint Joseph’s (15).

Top-eight individual performances by the Bates women’s team included:

• First-year Gabby Smart (Clinton, Mont.) won the women’s 50-yard backstroke in 27.44 seconds, the 100 backstroke (58.19), the 200 back in 2:04.34, the 400 IM in 4:31.03, and was fourth in the 500 freestyle (5:12.27).
• First-year Abigail Gibbons (Westtown, N.Y.) finished first in the women’s 50-yard breaststroke (30.20), first in the 100 breaststroke (1:05.88), and first in the 200 breast (2:27.43). She also took second place in the 50 free (24.60).
• Sophomore Caroline Sweeney (New Canaan, Conn.) won the 200 freestyle (1:54.73), won the 100 freestyle (52.76), was second in the 200 IM (2:10.63), sixth in the 100 back (1:00.24), and seventh in the 50 free (25.18).
• Junior Erin Bucki (Eagan, Minn.) was third in the 50 freestyle (24.66), third in the 200 freestyle (1:56.19), fourth in the 200 IM (2:11.81), fourth in the 100 free (54.18), fifth in the 100 back (59.90), and sixth in the 200 back (2:10.16).
• Sophomore Isabel Mohammadi-Hall (Saratoga, Calif.) was second in the 50 back (27.59), second in the 100 back (58.27), third in the 100 butterfly (58.33), fourth in the 50 butterfly (26.68), and fourth in the 200 back (2:09.46).
• Senior Janika Ho (Los Angeles, Calif.) was second in the 50 butterfly (25:82), second in the 100 butterfly (56.99), third in the 100 IM (1:01.46), fourth in the 100 back (59.79).
• Sophomore Maya Reynoso Williams (Somerville, Mass.) placed second in the 500 freestyle (5:07.06), third in the 100 free (53.87), fourth in the 100 butterfly (59.15), sixth in the 50 free (25.10).
• Senior Hannah Johnson (Brewster, Mass.) was second in the 200 back (2:07.20), third in the 100 back (59.69), fourth in the 50 back (28.22), and eighth in the 200 freestyle (1:58.37).
• Senior Emmy Daigle (Portland, Ore.) placed second in the 200 breaststroke (2:27.70) and fourth in the 100 breast (1:07.79).
• First-year Julia Bisson (North Yarmouth, Maine) placed third in 1-meter diving (203.15) and third in 3-meter diving (186.40).
• Sophomore Kaley Swintak (Barrington, R.I.) was fifth in the 1,650 freestyle (18:12.20), sixth in the 500 freestyle (5:13.91), seventh in the 400 IM (4:50.88), and seventh in the 200 butterfly (2:17.99).
• Sophomore Virginia Guanci (Melrose, Mass.) placed fourth in the 200 breaststroke (2:28.09), sixth in the 200 IM (2:12.66), sixth in the 100 breast (1:08.18), and seventh in the 50 breast (31.69).
• Sophomore Saskia Wong-Smith (Los Angeles, Calif.) was fourth in the 100 butterfly (59.15), fourth in the 200 butterfly (2:14.32) and eighth in the 50 butterfly (27.17).
• Sophomore Suzy Ryckman (Riverside, Conn.) was fifth in the 50 back (28.30) and sixth in the 100 IM (1:01.78).
• Junior Catherine Peterson (Greenbelt, Md.) finished fifth in the 50 breast (31.39), seventh in the 100 breast (1:08.93) and eighth in the 200 breast (2:32.35).
• First-year Megan Strynar (Lexington, S.C.) was fourth in the 200 freestyle (1:57.86), fifth in the 100 free (54.21), seventh in the 50 free (25.18).
• Senior Amy Duren (Chatham, N.J.) finished second in the 200 butterfly (2:12.20) and was eighth in the 100 butterfly (1:00.16).
• Sophomore Olivia Piacentini (Topsfield, Mass.) was seventh in the 50 back (28.69).
• First-year Josie Brohard (Loveland, Colo.) was eighth in the 200 back (2:11.04).
• First-year Alicia Meshulam (Brookline, Mass.) placed fourth in 1-meter diving (179.70) and fifth at 3 meters (172.70).
• First-year Sophia Ham (Falmouth, Maine) took fifth place in 1-meter diving (178.95) and sixth at 3 meters (166.20).
• Smart, Gibbons, Ho and Bucki won the 200 medley relay in 1:46.50.
• Ho, Bucki, Reynoso Williams, and Sweeney won the 400-yard freestyle relay (3:34.24).

Top-eight individual performances by the Bates men’s team included:

• Sophomore Andrew Hall (Little Silver, N.J.) took first place in both the 200-yard breaststroke (2:10.79) and the 100 IM (53.52). He also was second in the 100 breaststroke (59.81), third in the 400 IM (4:10.88), and fifth in the 200 IM (1:58.65).
• First-year Nathan Berry (Augusta, Maine) was second in the 50 back (23.82), third in the 50 free (21.31), third in the 100 back (52.10), third in the 100 free (47.02), and third in the 100 IM (54.56).
• Men’s senior captain Matt Charest (Lewiston, Maine) won the 50-yard breaststroke in 27.22 seconds, took third place in the 100 breast (59.83) and was fourth in the 200 breast (2:12.77).
• Sophomore Pieter Cory (Dublin, Calif.) won the men’s 200-yard individual medley in 1:55.93, 1.39 seconds ahead of the runner-up. Cory also finished fourth in the 100 free (47.50), fifth in the 100 breaststroke (1:00.54).
• First-year Nate Sommer (Terre Haute, Ind.) was second in the 200 breast (2:11.88) and fourth in the 50 breast (27.79).
• First-year Tristan Depew (Santa Barbara, Calif.) was third in the 50 butterfly (23.62) and seventh in the 100 butterfly (52.81).
• First-year John Marcolina (Mystic, Conn.) was third in the 50 breast (27.48), fourth in the 50 free (21.80).
• Senior Jem Bullock (Bainbridge Island, Wash.) was fifth in the 500 freestyle (4:50.63), fifth in the 1,650 freestyle (17:14.99), eighth in the 400 IM (4:19.41).
• Senior Alexander Ignatov (Trumbull, Conn.) was fifth in the 400 IM (4:16.24), sixth in the 100 breast (1:01.17), seventh in the 500 freestyle (4:54.63), eighth in the 50 free (22.26).
• Sophomore Jack Johnson (Brewster, Mass.) took fourth place in the 200 IM (1:58.42), fourth place in the 400 IM (4:15.48), fifth place in the 200 breast (2:13.32) and eighth in the 100 breast (1:01.32).
• Sophomore Dan Waterland (Chadds Ford, Pa.) was fourth in the 200 backstroke (1:55.88), fifth in the 100 back (52.63), seventh in the 50 free (22.18).
• First-year Edmond Giang (Wayland, Mass.) was fifth in the 200 butterfly (1:57.16) and sixth in the 100 butterfly (52.79).
• Sophomore Calvin Tuttle (Columbia, Md.) was sixth in the 50 back (25.19), seventh in the 200 back (1:59.68), and eighth in the 100 back (54.16).
• Sophomore Chris Draper (Armonk, N.Y.) was seventh in the 200 IM (2:00.37), eighth in the 200 freestyle (1:47.09) and eighth in the 200 back (1:59.94).
• Sophomore Kyle Jorgensen (Lawrenceville, N.J.) was seventh in the 100 butterfly (52.81), eighth in the 500 freestyle (4:55.40).
• First-year Kona Lindsey (Colorado Springs, Colo.) was eighth in the 50 breast (28.55).
• Senior Tanner Fuller (Wellington, Fla.) placed sixth in the 100 freestyle (48.28).
• First-year Charlie Nadel (Westport, Conn.) was seventh in the 1,650 freestyle (17:41.94).
• Sophomore Osceola Heard (Newark, N.J.) took second place in 1-meter diving (156.35).
• Berry, Charest, Depew and Marcolina won the 200 medley relay in 1:34.73.

Bates also won the non-scoring mixed 400-yard medley relay, with Smart, Charest, Depew and Reynoso Williams finishing in 3:40.93.

Bates will travel Florida for its annual training trip. The Bobcats’ next official meet is a dual meet at Dartmouth College on Jan. 4 at 1pm.

Courtesy: Colby College Athletics

Brunswick, Maine –  The Colby College Men’s Swimming & Diving team won 13 out of 24 events and ran away with the Maine State title.  The Women’s team also had a great showing, placing third out of seven teams and defeating the University of Maine, Orono for the first time.

Out of the 13 victories, five belonged to John Connors.  He won the 50 yard freestyle, 100 yard freestyle, 200 yard freestyle, and took part in two winning relays.  Xander Geiersbach (photo right) won four events, placing first in 100 and 200 yard backstrokes and taking part in two relays.  Ryan Bedell won three events, taking the top step of the podium in the 500, 1000, and 1650 yard freestyle races.  Three of Connors’ victories were meet records, including the 200 yard freestyle relay teaming up with Geiersback, Nate Cordick, and Shaun Kronenwetter.  The men’s team had 29 podiums in the 24 event competition.

“I am not sure I can actually put into words what this meet meant for our men’s team,” said head coach Tom Burton.  “It is the culmination of three years of development and growth for our team.  On the way back from the meet the seniors were all talking about the meet their freshman year when the highest place finish on the team was 14th in an individual event. Hard to imagine that three years later when they are seniors we set multiple meet records and go 1-2 in several events and even 1-2-3-4 in the 100 fly!”

Addie Paige was the leading swimmer for the women, winning four events.  She took home the gold medal in the 500, 1000, and 1650 yard freestyle heats, as well as the 200 yard Butterfly.  First-year Monet Meyer (photo right) won her second 1 meter diving event of the year.  The women’s team had 14 podiums in the 24 event competition.

“The women were just as impressive!” continued Burton.  “Today was the best finish the women have had at the Mane State Meet. Overall, the most impressive aspect of this weekend’s meet is how much faster we swam this year than last year for those returners.  I think we are on pace to have a more successful championship season than last year and several of our swimmers, men and women, are on pace to qualify for the NCAA Championships.  I am excited to see what we can achieve as the season moves forward.”

The Swimming & Diving teams return to action after the New Year at Fairfield State on January 3rd.