The RPI men’s and women’s swim teams, led by an incredible performance from sophomore Meghan Hartman, toppled Vassar on November 14. The women defeated Vassar 121 to 113 and the men won with a score of 120.5 to 83.5.
The big story of the meet was not the score but the phenomenal performance of Hartman, who broke a pool record in the 400-yard individual medley with a time of 4:38.2. She also had two NCAA national championship B-cut times: her time in the 400-yard IM as well her 2:28.01 time in the 200-yard breaststroke. Most swimmers turn in their best performances late in the season; achieving two B-cuts with three months remaining is quite rare, and Hartman is clearly in a position to improve upon her times in the coming months and qualify for the NCAA national championship meet this coming spring.
Also of note on the women’s team was the 400-yard freestyle relay team, made up of Allison Geer, Brooke Johnson, Janina Hill, and Moe Desi. They took first place with a time of 3:56.40.
Individually, Desi won the 1000-yard freestyle with a time of 12:03.57 and Kivy Weeks finished first in the 200-yard butterfly (2:33.16). Geer rounded out the women’s individual scoring with two first-place finishes in the 200-yard freestyle (2:01.43) and the 500-yard freestyle (5:32.63).
On the men’s side of the meet, the 400-yard medley relay team made up of Alvin Peh, Dave Weinman, Ben Fell, and Pat Fell finished first, in 3:44.58. Paul Gaffuri took the 50-yard freestyle (22.69), Mike Budris followed up with a win in the 100-yard freestyle (52.30), and Peh added a win in the 400-yard IM (4:22.37). Brothers Ben and Pat Fell finished up the individual wins with Pat taking two wins—the 200-yard freestyle (1:48.47) and the 200-yard butterfly (2:06.72)—and Ben taking first place in the 200-yard backstroke (2:01.87).
The Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association meet will be held at RPI on Friday and Saturday. The meet begins Friday at 4 pm and continues on Saturday with two sessions, at 9 am and 4 pm.
