Rochester, N.Y. – Junior Katie O'Donnell (Delmar, N.Y./Bethlehem) won three individual events and set two pool and school records in the process to lead the Le Moyne College women's swimming and diving team to a fourth-place finish at the three-day Don Richards Invitational hosted by RIT at Judson Pool. On the men's side, junior Drew Acquaviva (Delmar, N.Y./Bethlehem) won three individual events and teamed on a relay victory to lead the Dolphins to a fifth-place finish.
In the women's team competition, the Dolphins tallied 568 points to place fourth. Ithaca placed first for the second straight year with 984 points, while Nazareth finished second with 859 points. Hartwick recorded 597 points to edge the Dolphins for third place. Alfred (358) and host RIT (305) rounded out the standings. On the men's side, Le Moyne scored 446 points to place fifth. Ithaca completed the sweep of team titles with 933 points, while Hartwick was second with 892 points. Alfred scored 617 points for third, RIT tallied 478 for fourth and Nazareth recorded 359 for sixth.
O'Donnell won multiple events for the fifth straight meet and for the sixth time in seven meets this season. She picked up her first victory of the invitational in the opening event of Saturday's action, the 200-yard backstroke, with Judson Pool and Le Moyne record time of 2:02.23. The time, which eclipsed her previous school mark of 2:03.57 set at the NCAA Championships in March and her pool record of 2:07.89 set at last year's invitational, qualified her for this year's NCAA Championships, held in March in San Antonio. In the first individual event of Saturday evening's action, the 100-yard backstroke, O'Donnell touched the wall first in a pool and school-record time of 56.61 seconds. The mark, which was an NCAA "B" cut time, topped her school record of 57.19 seconds set at last February's UNYSCA Championships and her own Judson Pool record of 59.13 seconds set at last year's Don Richards Invitational. O'Donnell capped her weekend by winning the final individual event, the 200-yard IM, in 2:09.48. Senior Sarah Salanger (Syracuse, N.Y./West Genesee) picked up Le Moyne's fourth individual victory of the weekend with a time of 5:18.37 in the 500-yard freestyle.
On the men's side, Acquaviva swept the invitational's two backstroke events for the second straight year. He opened Saturday morning's individual competition by placing first in the 200-yard backstroke in a season-best time of 1:55.46. In the evening session on Saturday, Acquaviva captured the 100-yard backstroke in 51.30 seconds, his fastest time of the year. Acquaviva picked up his final win of the invitational with a season-best time of 21.50 seconds in the 50-yard freestyle. In the first men's event of Saturday morning, Acquaviva swam the second leg as he teamed with sophomore Scott Thieke (Jamesville, N.Y./Jamesville-DeWitt), freshman Tyler Olson (Warners, N.Y./West Genesee) and senior Sean Hosford (Garden City, N.Y./Garden City) to win the 200-yard freestyle relay in a season-best 1:26.64.
Le Moyne returns to the pool on Wednesday, January 19 at 3:30 p.m. at Saint Michael's.
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Women's Team Results
1. Ithaca 984, 2. Nazareth 859, 3. Hartwick 597, 4. Le Moyne 568, 5. Alfred 358, 6. RIT 305.
Women's Individual Winners
200 Yard Medley Relay – Nazareth (Maura Reissig, Carissa Risucci, Jaclyn Conklin, Emily Sauter) 1:50.66, 1650 Yard Freestyle – Kelly Murphy (Ithaca) 18:37.73, 1 meter dive – Naomi Mark (Ithaca) 364.50, 200 Yard Backstroke– Katie O'Donnell (Le Moyne) 2:02.23 (Pool Record, School Record, NCAA "A" Cut), 100 Yard Freestyle – Sheila Rhoades (Ithaca) 50:89, 200 Yard Butterfly – Stephanie Ha (Hartwick) 2:11.34, 200 Yard Breaststroke – Carissa Risucci (Nazareth) 2:22.35, 800 Yard Freestyle Relay – Nazareth (Rachael Phipps, Maura Reissig, Jaclyn Conklin, McKenna Murphy) 7:59.63, 3 meter dive – Naomi Mark (Ithaca) 380.75, 200 Yard Freestyle Relay – Ithaca (Kate Sessler, Elizabeth Gawrys, Carly Jones, Sheila Rhoades) 1:39.65, 100 Yard Backstroke– Katie O'Donnell (Le Moyne) 56.61 (Pool Record, School Record, NCAA "B" Cut), 200 Yard Freestyle – Sheila Rhoades (Ithaca) 1:55.80, 100 Yard Butterfly – Stephanie Ha (Hartwick) 58.46, 100 Yard Breaststroke – Madi Sherry (Ithaca) 1:05.46, 400 Yard IM – Carly Jones (Ithaca) 4:44.63, 400 Yard Medley Relay – Nazareth (Maura Reissig, Carissa Risucci, Jaclyn Conklin, Rachael Phipps) 3:59.72, 500 Yard Freestyle– Sarah Salanger (Le Moyne) 5:18.37, 50 Yard Freestyle – Sheila Rhoades (Ithaca) 23.48, 200 Yard IM– Katie O'Donnell (Le Moyne) 2:09.48, 400 Yard Freestyle Relay – Ithaca (Kate Sessler, Elizabeth Gawrys, Carly Jones, Sheila Rhoades) 3:37.70.
Men's Team Results
1. Ithaca 933, 2. Hartwick 892, 3. Alfred 617, 4. RIT 478, 5. Le Moyne 446, 6. Nazareth 359.
Men's Individual Winners
200 Yard Medley Relay – Ithaca (Connor White, Jake Lichter, Taylor VanCott, Antoine Connors) 1:37.18, 1650 Yard Freestyle – Kenny Kleso (Hartwick) 17:01.37, 1 Meter Drive – Evan Wendt (RIT) 446.45, 200 Yard Backstroke – Drew Acquaviva (Le Moyne) 1:55.46, 100 Yard Freestyle – John Wojtech (Hartwick) 48.15, 200 Yard Butterfly – Chris Willcox (Hartwick) 1:59.46, 200 Yard Breaststroke – Michael Phillips (Hartwick) 2:05.92, 800 Yard Freestyle Relay – Hartwick (Michael Phillips, Trey Ostrom, Kenny Kleso, Bradley Ranson) 7:07.80, 3 Meter Dive – Evan Wendt (RIT) 495.80, 200 Yard Freestyle Relay– Le Moyne (Scott Thieke, Drew Acquaviva, Tyler Olson, Sean Hosford) 1:26.64, 100 Yard Backstroke – Drew Acquaviva (Le Moyne) 51.30 (NCAA "B" Cut), 200 Yard Freestyle – Michael Phillips (Hartwick) 1:41.77, 100 Yard Butterfly – Tyler VanCott (Ithaca) 52.72, 100 Yard Breaststroke – Warren Dolben (Alfred) 1:00.96, 400 Yard IM – Jeff Rapp (Ithaca) 4:19.12, 400 Yard Medley Relay – Hartwick (Cody Cupit, Michael Phillips, Chris Willcox, John Wojtech) 3:35.41, 500 Yard Freestyle – Kenny Kleso (Hartwick) 4:54.59, 50 Yard Freestyle – Drew Acquaviva (Le Moyne) 21.50, 200 Yard IM – Michael Phillips (Hartwick) 1:55.48, 400 Yard Freestyle Relay – Ithaca (Antoine Connors, Jake Robbins, John Carr, Chris Cadwell) 3:12.31.
