by Dominic Capone

The men’s and women’s swimming and diving team finished up 2017 on the opposite side of the win-loss column. The women were 4-1 entering the new year while the men trailed behind at 2-3. Fordham’s swimming and diving teams were back in the pool facing off against Florida Atlantic and La Salle. The women also had two additional matches against Central Connecticut State and Richmond.

The men went to Boca Raton to compete against Florida Atlantic last week and then hosted La Salle on Jan. 20th. They lost both matches by a score of 143-118 and 176.5-116.5 respectively. The women faced four opponents this past week sporting an impressive 3-1 record. They beat Florida Atlantic 143-119 while also beating Central Connecticut State 172-87 on the same day. This past Saturday, they beat the La Salle Explorers 211-84 while losing to the defending Atlantic-10 women’s champion Richmond Spiders 164-135.

Despite the loss against Florida Atlantic, the men won a total of six events. Veteran Joe Mercurio came away with four wins in the contest. Mercurio took first in the individual 50 freestyle (21.55) and the 100 butterfly (51.13). He also joined Auston Ramsay, Travis Monahan, and Joseph Vizza in the 200 medley relay and the 400 freestyle relay in which both groups came in first with times of 1:35.19 and 3:11.53 in order. The last two wins for the Rams came from Travis Monahan, who won the 100 breaststroke in 58.93 seconds and Isiah Magsino who won the 200 individual medley in 1:57.33.

The women also won six events during the match, including both relays. Michelle Martin, Samantha McDonald, Amelia Bullock and Gabrielle Celia took first in the 200 medley relay in 1:47.67, while McDonald, Caitlin McNary, Theresa Mullen and Tara Brunner won the 400 freestyle in 3:34.34.

The women won four individual events as well. Michelle Martin won the 50 freestyle in 24.17 seconds, while Bayley Frierson came in first in the 1650 freestyle, sporting a winning time of 17:48.24. The last two winners were Tara Brunner, who won the 100 freestyle in 52.93 seconds and Amelia Bullock who took first in the 100 butterfly with a time of 56.13 seconds.

A week later the team hosted La Salle while the women also competed against Richmond. The men won five events in their loss to La Salle. Joe Mercurio, Joseph Vizza, Travis Monahan and Auston Ramsay took first in the 200 medley relay in 1:33.09. Mercurio also won two individual events: the 50 freestyle in 21.55 seconds and the 100 butterfly where he tied La Salle’s Jakub Batosiewicz at 50.38. Vizza captured first in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:43.90 and Isiah Magsino tacked on a win in the 200 individual medley in 1:56.06.

In their split decision, the women won five events, led by sophomore Amelia Bullock, who won the 100 butterfly in 56.03 seconds and the 200 butterfly in 2:01.10. Bullock, Michelle Martin, Gabrielle Celia and Samantha McDonald came in first in the 200 medley relay in 1:45.95. McDonald was also a part of the 400 freestyle relay group along with Tara Bruner, Caitlin McNary and Theresa Mullen, who won with a time of 3:31.80.
Fordham’s next event will take place here in the Bronx when they host Iona on Jan. 24th at 5:00 p.m.