The RPI swimming and diving team kicked off the new year in good fashion last week as Red Hawks Pat Fell and Mike Scibelli finished 1-2 in the Dolphins’ Sea Swim on January 9 on the island of St. Croix. Six days later, back on the mainland, the Red Hawk men defended Robison Pool to the tune of a second place finish in the Henry Kumpf Invitational.
The Sea Swim was the culmination of 10 days of winter training in the Virgin Islands. “We had a great training trip,” described Head Coach Shannon O’Brien. “Ten days in St. Croix and the weather was beautiful, and [the team] worked their butts off.” Fell completed the mile trek along the Frederiksted shore in 21 minutes and 40 seconds, a minute ahead of fellow Red Hawk Scibelli. Fell led a field of over 100 swimmers, which was comprised of student athletes from RPI, Colgate, and Holy Cross, as well as the St. Croix Dolphins swimming club.
On Saturday, January 15, the Rensselaer men welcomed six other universities to Robison Pool for the Henry Kumpf Invitational. The Red Hawks finished a close second behind the defending state champion Ithaca Bombers. “We didn’t have our best meet on Saturday, but we were still in the game,” explained O’Brien. “We didn’t rest at all for this weekend, [but] it [still] came down to the last relay.”
Second place seemed to be the spot of the day for the Red Hawks as senior Pat Fell, sophomores Greg Derevianko and Mike Scibelli, and freshmen Matt Hiltner and Kevin Sheridan compiled a dozen second place finishes at the meet.
Fell tallied second place finishes in the 200-yard freestyle, 500-yard freestyle, and 400-yard freestyle relay.
Scibelli joined Fell on the 400-yard freestyle relay team, added a win in the 200-yard breaststroke, and another second in the 1000-yard freestyle. “Scibelli had a good meet. His 200-yard breaststroke was real good,” remarked O’Brien. Liberty League officials agreed with O’Brien, as they awarded Scibelli with Co-Swimmer of the Week honors for the first time this season.
Hiltner was the third leg of the 400-yard freestyle relay squad and registered second place finishes in the 200-yard individual medley and 200-yard butterfly. Hiltner’s efforts were also noticed by the Liberty League. He was named Rookie of the Week for the fourth time this season.
Sheridan rounded out the 400-yard freestyle relay quartet, as well as collecting a second place finish in the 100-yard freestyle and a third place performance in the 200-yard freestyle. “Kevin did well. His 200 free and 100 free were good,” praised O’Brien of her freshman swimmer.
Derevianko, the diver of the group, came in second in the one-meter and three-meter events. “Diver Greg did very well,” complimented O’Brien. Joining Derevianko on the platforms were junior Bobby Monahon and senior Anthony Motisi. They finished fourth and fifth, respectfully, in both diving events.
The RPI men have now faced Ithaca twice this season (the previous meeting ended with a Red Hawk victory in October), and Coach O’Brien is pleased with her team’s results. “I’m happy with the way we split [the two meetings],” she said.
In a scheduling quirk, the Red Hawks travel to Schenectady on Wednesday to take on Union. Three days later, the Rensselaer women will host their invitational. However, Coach O’Brien isn’t concerned with the effect the heavy schedule will have on her squad. “I think they’re pretty used to it,” she observed. “I think we’re better off doing it early than next week before they’re into classes a little bit more.”
No matter what shape their bodies are in, the Red Hawks will certainly have an extra boost of adrenaline as they match up against their neighboring rivals. “We’re set up pretty good for it, [and] traditionally we swim well at the Union meet,” reflected O’Brien. “[It’s a] very big rivalry. It’s huge.”
