The women’s swimming and diving team hosted Clarkson University, Connecticut College, Oneonta State, Skidmore College, SUNY Cortland, SUNY New Paltz, and William Smith College at the 2004 RPI Invitational held at the Robison Pool Saturday, January 17.
Connecticut College ran away with the win, scoring 340 points. The Red Hawks finished fourth, out of eight schools, with 194 points.
Senior Meghan Hartman had a strong meet, winning the 200 yard breaststroke with a time of 2:23.80 and the 200 yard individual medley with a time of 2:10.00. Hartman’s time in the 200 breaststroke was a full 10 seconds faster than Connecticut’s Kate Derr, who finished second. Her time also provisionally qualified her for the NCAAs and set a new school record.
“The records are definitely important to me, but personal bests are more important,” Hartman said. “Records are meant to be broken.”
Melissa Hershey led the RPI divers by finishing first in the 3-meter event and second in the 1-meter event, scoring 29 points for the team.
Hartman, Hershey, and freshman Karel Schnebele swept the UCAA weekly women’s swimming awards last week. Hartman earned Swimmer of the Week, Hershey was named Diver of the Week, and Schnebele received Rookie of the Week honors. Hartman was picked as the Division III Swimmer of the Week by the ECAC.
The men’s and women’s teams were fired up against rival Union College in their final home meet of the season last Wednesday. The women won their meet 137-103, and the men dominated theirs, winning 165-67. “Union was a big win for us,” Hartman said, especially for the women, since Union beat the RPI women at the UCAA Championships last month.
The men’s divers swept both 1m and 3m events for RPI, tallying all 32 points because Union did not field any male divers. Greg Derevianko finished first in both events for RPI.
The men’s swimmers controlled the meet on their side of the pool as well. Freshman Mike Scibelli won the 1000 freestyle with a time of 10:33.66 and the 500 free in 4:58.27. Pat Fell won the 200 free in a time of 1:47.29, the 100 free in 49.06, and helped the 200 medley relay to a first place finish along with Bryan Geiger, Mike Hoefling, and Alvin Peh. Geiger, Hoefling, Rob Olivo, and Peh contributed with one win each.
On the women’s side, Hershey won both the 1m and 3m events, and her scores provisionally qualified her for the National Meet in both events.
Hartman once again led the women by winning the 400 IM in 4:36.94, the 100 breaststroke in 1:07.31, and the 500 free in 5:26.19. Lea Marlor won the 100 backstroke in 1:04.11 while Tara Murnane took first in the 200 free in 2:04.44 and assisted the 200 medley relay in their first place finish.
Saturday, the Red Hawks traveled to Skidmore to face off against the Thoroughbreds. Both teams won easily, with the men winning 132-57 and the women winning 153-84.
Hartman led the team with two victories, winning in the 200 free and the 200 backstroke. Kelly Heinonen, Brielle Spataro, and Sara Chadwick won an event for the women. Rick Allen, Fell, Hoefling, and John Lakness each won an event for the men.
