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Iona University Athletics

Men's Swimming & Diving 2/14/2024 10:32:00 PM Garrett Murray - Assistant Director of Athletic Communications

MAAC Championships Start Strong for Iona Swimming & Diving

The 2024 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Swimming and Diving Championships opened up tonight at the Spire Academy in Geneva, Ohio and after five events the Iona Men stand in fourth place and the Iona Women are in eighth place. The Iona men had a strong night with a pair of school records and reached the podium in the 800-yard Freestyle Relay with a bronze medal effort and school record time of 6:35.46. The Iona men also set a school record en route to a fifth-place finish and school mark in the 200-Medley Relay at 1:29.79.

The Iona women posted their own school record in the 800-Free Relay at 7:37.75 for fourth place. The Iona women also took eighth in the 200-Medley Relay with a season best time of 1:47.99. In the night's only individual event, freshman diver Emma Todd, placed thirteenth with a point total of 164.35. The effort by Todd, were the first championship points since 2018 in a women's diving event and Nemi Kohli took 14th place. The Iona men's quartet had three freshmen including leadoff swimmer Kieran Egan (1:39.88), Noah Giunta (1:40.68) and Nate Wales (1:39.92) join anchor swimmer and senior Michael Faughnan (1:34.98) who had the meet's fastest leg.

The 6:35.46, lowered the school mark by 2.1 set four years ago by Faughnan, Conor Mullin, Aiden Holbrook and Dan Hadary. The time also qualified for the March College Swim Coaches of America National Invitational Championship in Ocala, Florida. Egan also led off the 200-Medley Relay with a 22.11 50-yard backstroke leg and Matthew Loftus followed up with a career best 50-yard breaststroke split of 24.70, followed up by Brian Baldwin's 50-Butterfly effort of 22.10. Freshman Nicholas Patino anchored with a 20.88 split for the final time of 1:29.79, which lowered the school mark of 1:31.30 set five years ago by Spencer Moran and Aiden Holbrook.

The Iona women's team of Megan Josephs (1:53.80), Brennyn Veit (1:57.04), Kate Kennedy (1:54.15) and Isabella Nicholson (1:52.76) lowered the school mark from 7:37.97 by .21 to 7:37.75. The 200-Medley Relay quartet had backstroker Molly Finn (28.10); Breaststroker Josephs (30.04); Butterflyer Ashley Benkert (25.29) hand off to Freestyler Erin McKinney (24.56). "We had great efforts tonight throughout the relays. Tonight demonstrated how close all the races will be. A few tenths here or there will make a huge difference in the standings," noted Coach Nick Cavataro. "Our entire roster is excited to compete over the next three days."

The meet resumes Thursday with the 500-Free, 200m-Individual Medley and the 50-Free along with the men's 3-Meter Diving event.

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Players Mentioned

Brian Baldwin: Fly/Back; 6' 2"; Junior

Michael Faughnan: Middle Free; 6' 6"; Senior

Matthew Loftus: Breast/IM; 5' 11"; Senior

Ashley Benkert: Fly; 5' 6"; Junior

Molly Finn: Back/Free; 5' 7"; Junior

Megan Josephs: Breast/Sprint; 5' 8"; Senior

Erin McKinney: Sprint; 5' 6"; Sophomore

Isabella Nicholson: Mid-Distance; 5' 11"; Graduate Student

Brennyn Veit: Breast; 5' 7"; Sophomore

Nate Wales: Backstroke; 6' 3"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

Brian Baldwin
: 6' 2"; Junior
: Fly/Back

Michael Faughnan
: 6' 6"; Senior
: Middle Free

Matthew Loftus
: 5' 11"; Senior
: Breast/IM

Ashley Benkert
: 5' 6"; Junior
: Fly

Molly Finn
: 5' 7"; Junior
: Back/Free

Megan Josephs
: 5' 8"; Senior
: Breast/Sprint

Erin McKinney
: 5' 6"; Sophomore
: Sprint

Isabella Nicholson
: 5' 11"; Graduate Student
: Mid-Distance

Brennyn Veit
: 5' 7"; Sophomore
: Breast

Nate Wales
: 6' 3"; Freshman
: Backstroke