The SUNY New Paltz Swim team headed off to the SUNYAC Championship Meet on Feb. 19. They had a four-day long competition that involved two sessions each day. The events included sprints, distance, freestyle, diving, and relays. The men’s team finished fourth, with highlights including a third-place finish in the 400 medley relay by Jack Wirth, Alex Gorzula, Jack Samko, and Antonio Vavalle. The women’s team placed seventh, with their top performance being a fifth-place finish in the 400 medley relay by Sage Vadney, Brianna Law, Abigail Keiser, and Molly Snyder.
Snyder, a third-year sprint freestyle and backstroke swimmer for the Hawks, discussed the team’s overall performance. “Throughout the four days, everyone competed in a lot of different events, including sprint, distance, and everything in between, from the 50 freestyle, to the 400 individual medley to the mile,” said Snyder. “I competed in four out of five of the women’s team relays, and I have to say that those are my favorite events to both be a part of and to watch, since it’s one of the few times you work with your teammates in an otherwise individual sport.” She believes that during the relays, the swimmers help each other build energy and confidence before races by cheering on their teammates from behind the blocks.
Snyder had a solid performance at the 2025 SUNYAC Swimming Championships, assisting the SUNY New Paltz women’s team in several events. On the final day, she competed in the 100-yard freestyle, finishing 14th with a time of 56.86 seconds and earning three points for the team. She was also a key part of the women’s A relay team, which finished sixth in the 400-yard freestyle relay with a time of 3:50.81, earning 26 points. Her strong performances in both individual events and relays proved her importance to the team throughout the competition.
“I am very proud of the whole team for their performance, as we had a lot of personal and season bests, as well as a lot of people who ended up on the podium,” said Snyder. “Our men’s team ended up with several medals, both from individual events as well as relays, with top scorers being Gorzula, Samko, Vavalle, Wirth, and Venn Engstrom.” The men’s swim team had a standout performance on the final day of the 2025 SUNYAC Swimming Championships, with several key athletes making significant contributions to the team’s success.
Gorzula, a second-year swimmer, was a major standout of the day, breaking a 12-year-old record in the 200-yard breaststroke. Gorzula touched the wall at 2:06.06, surpassing Marton Keri’s previous record by .26 seconds, marking a historic achievement for both him and the team. Gorzula also clinched the silver medal in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 57.47 seconds, breaking a nine-year-old program record previously held by Ryan Lindgren. “Alex’s record-breaking achievements in the 100 breast and the 200 breast were so exciting to watch, and the whole team went absolutely crazy cheering for him,” stated Snyder.
On top of his personal wins, Gorzula also played a key role in the relays. He helped the men’s 400-yard freestyle relay team, alongside teammates Engstrom, Samko and Vavalle, finish in third place and add 32 points to the team’s total. His achievements at the 2025 SUNYAC Championship have made him one of the top athletes in the program.
According to Snyder, the last day of the SUNYAC Championship was important to the team, and they made sure to make it special, especially for the seniors. “The SUNY New Paltz Swim team prepared for the final day of the SUNYAC Championship by bringing a little more hype to that day compared to the other ones. We listened to party music on the bus and were all especially loud while cheering that day, which definitely helped to keep the mood and energy up after such a long competition,” said Snyder.
“As a senior, I know that the last day held a special place in many of our hearts, as it was when a lot of us swam our last races ever. This invoked a range of emotions across the team and helped everyone to really put their all into their events and to cheer the loudest we had so far.”
The Hawks had a successful 2024-2025 season, highlighted by impressive results at the championships, where several athletes earned podium finishes and broke records. “Overall, I think that the team gave SUNYACs their whole heart, and I am very proud of everything that we accomplished. It was a very fun season and a great way to end it,” said Snyder. “Now that SUNYACs are done, the team is going to be taking a well-deserved break. We will likely be doing swim lessons to fundraise for next season, so be on the look-out for sign-ups and come support the team.”
In addition to their competition success, the team also helped the local community by offering swimming clinics to improve people’s swimming skills. Last year, the team hosted a “Swim and Stroke Clinic” program in April. They have a “Learn to Swim” for younger children and “Stroke Clinics” for more advanced swimmers.
Academically, the swim team has also shown strong performance. Many athletes have balanced their athletic commitments with their studies, maintaining good academic standing. The team has been dedicated to not only excelling in the pool but also achieving success in school.
“Outside of swimming, our team was also celebrated for our academics, as Sam Debbie and I each won the Elite 20 awards for having the highest GPAs out of the conference,” said Snyder.
The Hawks ended their season with record breaking achievements and personal performances. With their ongoing success and commitment, both in the pool and in the classroom, the future is promising for the Hawks’ swim program.
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