Jan. 28, 2006

Complete Results

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - The Marist Men's Swimming and Diving team picked up its biggest win of the year on Saturday when it defeated University of Maryland Baltimore County 125-118 at the James J. McCann Natatorium. UMBC is ranked #11 on collegeswimming.com's mid-major top 25 poll. Junior Pat Collins (Nutley, N.J.) was a standout again for the Red Foxes as he won the 50 and 100-yard freestyle and swan the anchor leg in the most exciting race of the day, the 400-yard freestyle relay.

With the outcome of the meet still in doubt Marist needed a win in the final event of the day, and they got it by the slimmest of margins. With the Red Foxes dueling with UMBC's top relay squad the whole race it came down to the anchor leg to decide the outcome. Collins entered the pool trailing by nearly a half second when he took over. As he touched the wall to end the race, he was one hundredth of a second 3:11.04) ahead of UMBC (3:11.05) giving Marist the win. Nick Chevalier (Milford, N.H.), Ralph Rienzo (Wallingford, Conn.) and Greg Jablonski (Massapequa, N.Y.) swan the first three legs for the Red Foxes.

For the second consecutive meet Collins won the 50 and 100-yard freestyle events. On Saturday he swan a 21.36 second 50 free and a 46.89 second 100.

The Red Foxes were strong when they needed to be on Saturday, especially in the final two events of the day. After dropping the first three events of the day, Marist needed a strong finish. In the 200-yard breast stroke, sophomore Jablonski took first place in a time of 2:10.64. He was followed by teammate Joe Pilewski, who took second, clocking in at 2:10.93. That event set up the exciting finish in the 400-yard freestyle relay.

The Red Foxes were also strong in diving on Saturday, as the diving corps. was an integral part to the victory. Sophomore Devon O'Nalty (East Hartford, Conn.) took second in the three meter event with a score of 229.50. O'Nalty followed that performance up by winning the one-meter event with a score of 248.50. John Luboja (216.60) and Jesus Santos (208.35) followed O'Nalty as Marist took the top three positions.

With the win the Red Foxes run their record to 8-1 overall. They will be in action next Saturday, February 4, when they host Seton Hall on Senior Day in the McCann Center. The meet is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m.