Behind the strength of five Iona team and three MAAC Championship records the Iona Swimming and Diving Team made a huge splash at the third day of the 2025 MAAC Swimming and Diving Championships.
 
The defending 2024 MAAC Swimmer of the Year - Michael Faughnan – had a hand in three of the MAAC and school records.  The graduate student took home gold in the 200-Free with a record time of 1:34.39, which was also a NCAA Championship consideration time. 
 
Faughnan also posted a MAAC and Iona record of 46.38 leading off the backstroke leg of the 400-yard Medley Relay. In the relay Faughnan combined with breaststroker Matthew Loftus (53.92), butterflyer Kieran Egan (47.46) and freestyler Nate Wales (43.75) for a 3:11.51, which broke the old record by nearly three seconds.
 
The other Iona records came on the women's side as graduate student Megan Josephs, jumped out to an early lead to win the consolation heat of the 200-Freestyle at 1:51.31, .09 under the 2023 record by Isabella Nicholson.
 
Freshmen Raegan O'Brien posted a career best and narrowly missed gold in the 100-Backstroke touching at 55.96 for silver and 1.27 under the old record held by Victoria Novinsky '23.
 
The nights other gold came from Sophomore Kieran who took the 100-Back at 47.75 for his first MAAC career individual gold. Teammates Noah Giunta took bronze at 48.90, with Nate Wales fourth at 49.03 and Liam Pyatt was fourteenth at 50.12 for the Gaels best scoring event.
 
Other finalists included Ashley Benkert in the 100-Butterfly who took fourth at 56.22. The men's race had Mikel Palaj take ninth at 49.22 with Liam Pyatt thirteenth at 50.45.
 
Brennyn Veit was fifteenth in the 400-IM at 4:37.84. Then Men's200-Free had Harry Platt and Elijah Decasseres back up Faughnan with respective times of 1:39.94 for eleventh and 1:40.66 for thirteenth.
 
Julia Moser took fifth in the Women's 100-Breaststroke at 1:03.39, with freshmen Hailey Baker posting a career best of 1:05.03 for eleventh. Loftus posted a 55.15 clocking for tenth.
 
Junior Dylan Riccio picked up his second medal of the meet, with a strong 240.15 fifth place effort on the 3-Meter Springboard.
 
The Iona men stand fourth with 364.50 points, behind Niagara (427.5); Fairfield (424.5) and Marist (402.5). Rider (323.5) and Mount Saint Mary (216.5) round out the top six.
 
The Iona women jumped from eighth to sixth with 191-points. Niagara (517); Fairfield (377); Marist (340); Sacred Heart (253) and Mount Saint Mary (240) hold the top five spots.