Monday, Feb 20, 2012
The Rider men's swimming and diving team won its first championship since 2004, while the women finished as runner-up for the third year in a row.
by Sports Information
Both the Rider University men's and women's swimming and diving teams competed at the 2012 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championships in Buffalo, N.Y., from February 16 to 19 at the Erie Community College Burt Flickinger Athletic Center.
The Rider men's team won its first championship since 2004, while the women finished as the runner-up for the third year in a row. Rider head coach Steve Fletcher was named MAAC Men's Coach of the Year. Fletcher was named the MAAC Female Coach of the Year in 2009 when the Rider women took home their last team title.
On Saturday, February 18, for the Rider men, Johnny Funk '13 won MAAC gold in the 200 back (1:47.90) with Brett Pedersen '15 winning the 100 free (45.60). Funk won the 200 IM on Thursday with a MAAC record time of 1:47.56.
For the Rider women, Addie Oswald '13 repeated as MAAC champion in the 200 back (2:00.33) and just missed the MAAC record by .03 seconds with Kelly O'Connor '13 repeating as champion in the 200 fly (2:04.33).
Also for the Bronc men, Julien Hensen '13 was second in the 200 breast (2:03.41), Drew Peterson '15 was fourth in the 200 fly (1:50.96), graduate student Mike Tubb tied for fourth in the 200 breast (2:05.38), Inaki Campos-Goenaga '14 was fifth in the 200 back (1:53.18) and Sean Newhouse '14 was fifth in the 100 free (46.76).
For the women, Danielle Warwick '14 was third in the 200 back (2:05.10), Melanie Leonhard '14 was third in the 1650 free (17:17.04), Rachel Brooker '15 was third in the 200 fly (2:05.63), Morgan Kandrac '15 was third in the 200 breast (2:23.60), Kori Kraus '12 placed sixth in the 200 back (2:07.21) and freshman (Hillsborough) finished eighth in the 200 breast (2:29.00).
The men's 400 free relay of Pedersen, Funk, Peterson and Hensen won with a time of 3:01.58.
The women's 400 free relay of Byerly, A. Oswald, Charniga and C. Oswald was third with a time of 3:31.46.
This is Rider's second men's team title, with the first coming in 2004, and they have finished as runner-up 14 times since 1996. The Broncs women have won three team titles, in 2001, 2003 and 2009, and have placed runner-up 11 times since 1998.