While students and staff were away for break, winter sports continued, including our New Paltz Women’s Swim Team. So, what did we miss?
Right before finals week, the Hawks traveled to New Jersey for a three day tournament hosted by the College of New Jersey (TCNJ), where they placed third out of four teams. TCNJ took first place with 1227 points, followed by United States Merchant Marine, New Paltz and Salisbury University with 808.5, 704.5 and 497 points, respectively.
After that, New Paltz had a series of cancellations and postponements. On Jan. 12, they were supposed to host Pace, which was canceled. The Jan. 19 home meet against Skidmore was canceled as well, but a Jan. 14 meet against Cortland was postponed to Thursday Jan. 20 at 4 p.m.
Cortland took to the Elting Pool for the first time this season, and the Hawks were more than ready for them. New Paltz took an early event win, during the 200-yard medley relay. Third-year Delilah Griger, first-year Alex Kassian, third-year Kelly Donlevy and second-year Julia Iaboni collectively finished in one minute and 39 seconds, earning 11 points.
Griger placed first in the individual 100-yard backstroke, and fourth-year Victoria Bogdanski and first-year Ginny Frazee placed third and fifth in the same event.
“We were all in a positive mood the whole time,” Bogdanski said. “Cortland gave us a good competition and the energy was really high throughout the meet.”
Cortland took some first place wins, in the 1000-yard freestyle and the 200-yard freestyle but it wasn’t enough to overpower the Hawks. New Paltz continued to make strides. Kassian finished first in one minute and 12 seconds during the 100-yard backstroke, and Donlevy earned nine points in the 100-yard freestyle.
The day finished out with New Paltz overpowering Cortland 138-120: a huge improvement from the earlier Pumpkin Relays where New Paltz fell to Cortland 315-282.
New Paltz has just one more meet left before the SUNYAC tournament. On Saturday, Feb. 5 at 1 p.m., the Hawks are hosting Oneonta at the Elting Pool. The events of that meet could predict how they will fare in the upcoming SUNYACs.
“We are all looking forward to Oneonta, to really see where we are at. Oneonta is also our senior meet so it’s the last time a lot of people will be swimming in our home pool. It’s going to be a really memorable meet for a lot of us,” Bogdanski said.
