June 11, 2010
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - The Marist men's and women's swimming and diving programs, under the director of 33rd-year Director of Aquatics Larry VanWagner, announced the addition of six student-athletes to his programs for the 2010-11 season. The Red Foxes will add three student-athletes to the men's roster, Patrick Geraghty, Alex Lombardi and Nick Spinella, while the women's roster will see three additions as well. They include Maddie Arciello, Bonnie Orr and Sarah Wagner.
Patrick Geraghty - Fly, Holyoke, Mass./Springfield
Geraghty was named the Western Massachusetts High School Champion in the 100-yd. butterfly, and went on to take second place at the state meet. He also qualified for the finals at the Speedo Southern Sectionals and was named a New England Swimming top-10 athlete. For his club team, the Holyoke YMCA Vikings (HYV), Geraghty won the Viking Award.
VanWagner on Geraghty: "Patrick enters Marist as the top butteflier on the squad and will add depth in our individual medley events."
Alex Lombardi - Sprint Freestyle, Branford, Conn./Branford
Lombardi is a six-time All-Conference selection, five-time All-State selection and an All-American in the 400-yd. freestyle relay. His all-conference selections have come with three victories in the 50-yd. freestyle as well as wins in the 100-yd. freestyle, the 200-yd. freestyle relay and the 400-yd. freestyle relay. Lombardi claimed all-state honors in the 400-yd. freestyle relay, the 200-yd. freestyle relay and most recently the 50- and 100-yd. freestyles as a senior. Additionally, he is a member of the Connecticut Class M State Record holding 400-yd. freestyle relay which boasts a time of 3:10.66.
VanWagner on Lombardi: "We welcome Alex to our sprint freestyle team and the depth he will provide to our sprint nucleus."
Nick Spinella - Back, Franklin Square, N.Y./H. Frank Carey
Spinella was named a High School All-American in the 100-yd. backstroke and qualified for the New York State Championship meet in seven out of eight events. An All-Long Island selection in consecutive years, he placed third at the state championship meet in the 100-yd. backstroke. Spinella has competed in five junior national meets and was a member of two winning relay teams at the 2010 Short Course Junior National Meet.
VanWagner on Spinella: "Nick has the fastest backstroke and middle distance freestyle times as a Red Foxes recruit. He will immediately contend for the MAAC Championship titles in those events."
Maddie Arciello - Sprint Freestyle/Backstroke, Missoula, Mont./Loyola Sacred Heart
Arcillio was a junior national qualifier who was also named team captain of her club swim team, the Mulnomah Athletic Club (MAC). She was also named the Most Valuable Player on her high school swim team, en route to earning the US Marine Corps Most Distinguished Athlete award.
VanWagner on Arciello: "Maddie joins the team as a sprint freestyle and backstroke specialist. We look forward to her potential to stretch her events to the middle distances."
Bonnie Orr - IM/Fly, Fresno, Calif./Bullard
Orr has not lost a scholastic meet since her sophomore year in high school and was named the team MVP following her second of four varsity swimming seasons. She was named the team captain as a senior and set league records in the 200-yd. individual medley and the 100-yd. butterfly in three straight years. Orr claimed the high school championship in the 200-yd. IM with a time of 2:10.68. She swam in the California/Nevada sectionals during her junior and senior seasons, while being named Second Team All-Valley California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) after her sophomore and junior seasons. In addition to her swimming achievements, Orr also lettered in water polo where she was named First Team All-League and Second Team All-Valley.
VanWagner on Orr: Bonnie's greatest attribute is her versatility in the pool. She will be very competitive in a number of events: middle distance, butterfly, individual medley and freestyle."
Sarah Wagner - Back, Rockaway, N.J./Morris Hills
A conference and county champion in New Jersey, Wagner swam scholastically for Morris Hills High School. Additionally, she placed in the top-eight at the Meet of Champions in the 100-yd. backstroke. On the club level, Wagner has made it to Nationals for the West Morris YMCA and qualified as a part of a relay and the 100- and 200-yd. backstrokes in the last two seasons.
VanWagner on Wagner: "Sarah concluded her short-course season with great performances in backstroke at the 2010 YMCA Nationals. She will be a tremendous addition to our backstroke corp."
