Iona Swim and Dive Men Hold Lead; Women hold Second After Day 2 at ECAC Meet

The second day of competition found the Iona increasing their lead in the 3-day championship and the Iona women slipping a bit after day one in the point standings but remained in second place.

The men stand at 1,239.5-points with New Jersey Institute of Technology at 1145, followed by Bridgeport (946), Mount Saint Mary's (700). Stony Brook leads the women's race at 1,233 points, with Iona at 1,081.5, followed by defending champion Siena at 851.00.

The medal race saw Iona pick up three golds as well as MVP and Male Dive Coach-of-the-Year honors for Senior Dylan Riccio and Coach Maureen Arnold. Riccio took a pair of silver medals on the 1 and 3-meter springboard, with Sophomore Joel Picard winning on the 3-meter on Day 1. It was the second consecutive ECAC title for Riccio and Arnold.

The golds on day 2 came in the opening men's event the 200-yard Medley Relay where Kieran Egan (22.13), Max Buchen (24.26), Noah Giunta (22.52) and Nick Patino (19.62) touched first at 1:28.49, ahead of MAAC rival, Mount Saint Mary's by .67-second.

Individual golds for Iona came in back-to-back backstroke races as Sophomore Raegan O'Brien (55.64) and Junior Kieran Egan (48.40) touched first for the wins in the 100-yard race. The women's race also saw Victoria Mordaunt take eighth at 1:01.61 and Egan was backed up in stacked Iona final by Wyatt Julian (49.18); Nate Wales (49.37) and Noah Giunta (49.52) in fourth, fifth and seventh respectively.

The 400-Individual Medley had a pair of silver medal efforts by Sydney Cronin and Max Buchen, both race times were the number two all-time in Iona records. Cronin, a freshmen went 4:29.78 and Buchen went 4:01.45. Behind Buchen in the men's race were senior Andrew Diano (4:09.53) and freshmen Declan McGlynn (4:10.96) in sixth and eighth, respectively.

The 200-yard Freestyle saw Juniors Kate Kennedy (1:54.09) and Harry Platt (1:38.77) take fifth and third, respectively.

The 100-Butterfly had Mordaunt and O'Brien take fourth and seventh respectively at 57.39 and 58.00. The men's race had Egan (49.64) and Julian (50.01) take respective fourth and fifth placings.

Buchen continued is record night with a silver in the 100-Breaststroke lowering is own team mark by over a second to 53.63. the women's race had Francecsa Fields (1:05.81), Hailey Baker (1:06.83) and Cronin take fourth, sixth and seventh, respectively

The final event of the session was the 800-Freestyle Relay, where Kate Kennedy (1:54.95), Melissa Hengesbach (1:56.49), Paige Fiorino (1:56.59) and Mary Grace Waring (1:54.57) took bronze at 7:42.60. The men's quartet of Harry Platt (1:40.99), Wales (1:41.03), Giunta (1;42.17) and Elijah Decasseres (1:40.54) were third at 6:44.78.

Coach Nick Cavataro speaking after the meet said, "collectively we are racing and diving at our best level all season, if we can keep it going into day 3, the team points will come together. "

The meet concludes Sunday at the Nassau County Aquatic Complex in East Meadow, NY with the 1650-Free, 200-Back, 100-Free, 200-Breast, 200-Butterfly and 400-Freestyle Relays.

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#Iona Athletics

Players Mentioned

Elijah Decasseres: Back; 5' 10"; Junior

Andrew Diano: Middle Free; 6' 2"; Senior

Kieran Egan: Back / Free; 6' 1"; Junior

Noah Giunta: Fly / IM; 6' 1"; Junior

Joel Picard: Diver; 5' 6"; Sophomore

Harry Platt: Sprint Free; 6' 5"; Junior

Dylan Riccio: Diver; 5' 11"; Senior

Nate Wales: Sprint Free / Backstroke; 6' 3"; Junior

Hailey Baker: Breast / IM; 5' 6"; Sophomore

Kate Kennedy: Distance; 5' 8"; Junior

Players Mentioned

Elijah Decasseres
: 5' 10"; Junior
: Back

Andrew Diano
: 6' 2"; Senior
: Middle Free

Kieran Egan
: 6' 1"; Junior
: Back / Free

Noah Giunta
: 6' 1"; Junior
: Fly / IM

Joel Picard
: 5' 6"; Sophomore
: Diver

Harry Platt
: 6' 5"; Junior
: Sprint Free

Dylan Riccio
: 5' 11"; Senior
: Diver

Nate Wales
: 6' 3"; Junior
: Sprint Free / Backstroke

Hailey Baker
: 5' 6"; Sophomore
: Breast / IM

Kate Kennedy
: 5' 8"; Junior
: Distance