The State University of New York men's and women's swimming team returns to the water after an extended winter break, traveling Saturday to Manhattan as the men face Baruch College in a dual meet, while the women face the hosting Bearcats and Sarah Lawrence in a tri-meet. The Hawks will face Baruch and Sarah Lawrence for the first time in program history.
 
Baruch is the defending CUNY men's swimming champion and currently hold a 3-1 overall record with wins over William Paterson University, Sarah Lawrence College and Brooklyn College. The Bearcats are 2-4 on the women's side with a 1-0 CUNY record. Their wins have come against Brooklyn College and John Jay College. Baruch has won seven women's CUNY championship titles, the last in the 2018-19 season, while finishing second last year.
 
Sophomore Youssef Elkhouly (Brooklyn, NY) has been one of two big guns for Baruch on the men's side. As a first-year swimmer, he was named 2022 CUNY Male Rookie Swimmer of the Year and at the 2022 CUNY Championship meet, earned seven gold medals (three individual - 200 IM, 100 backstroke, 200 backstroke and four relay) to lead the Bearcats to victory. This season he again is tops for Baruch with times of 1:50.06 in the 200 freestyle, 55.07 in the 100 backstroke, 5:16.10 in the 500
freestyle, 2:03.67 in the 200 backstroke, and 2:02.19 in the 200 individual medley. He has also swum the anchor in the 400-freestyle relay (4:01.13).  
Joining him is sophomore Eli Meron (North Hempstead, NY), who also earned seven golds at last year's CUNY championship (three individual - 400 IM, 100 butterfly, 200 butterfly and four relay). This season he has clocked a 24.10 in the 50 freestyle and 56:48 in the 100-butterfly. First year Jordan Lin (Flushing, NY) has clocked a 4:57.45 in the 400 IM and 1:10.14 and 2:41.52 in the 100 and 200 breaststroke, respectively.
 
For the women, sophomore Aanya Shukul (Monroe Township, NJ), last season's CUNY Rookie of the Year and winner of two goal medals (500 freestyle and 1,000 freestyle) in the 2022 CUNY Championship, earned times of 12:34.45, 6:12.82, 1:01.35 and 27.54 in the 1,000, 500, 100, and 50-freestyle, respectively. Sophomore Joyce Wong (Brooklyn, NY) was a first team All-CUNY selection last season, earning one gold (relay), two silver (400 IM and 200 breaststroke) and one bronze (100 breaststroke) at the CUNY Championships, and has had times of 5:47.40 in the 400 IM, 2:33.42 in the 200 IM, 1:15.74 in the 100 breaststroke and 2:55.55 in the 200 breaststroke. Sophomore Scarlett Astudillo (Corona, NY) who earned a bronze medal in the 200-butterfly in the 2022 CUNY Championships, has a time of 2:50.79 in the 200 butterfly this season.
 
The Gryphons of Sarah Lawrence, who took second place in the 2022 Skyline Conference Championship, currently hold an overall record of 12-3. They have swum against two SUNY New Paltz opponents, defeating Bard College 157-59 and losing to USMMA 45-150. The Hawks defeated Bard 176-13 and fell to USMMA in the first meet of the season 77-128.
 
Sarah Lawrence has been led this season by six top swimmers. First year Keilani Talma (Bridgetown, Barbados) has times of 27.91 in the 50-freestyle, 2:01.94 in the 200 freestyle, 1:01.28 in the 100 butterfly and 2:19.84 in the 200 butterfly. Senior Katherine McKane (Corona, NY) has times of 1:09.18 in the 100 breaststroke, 2:32.55 in the 200 breaststroke, 1:05.9 in the 100 IM and 5:07.04 in the 400 IM. Junior Genevieve Chiapetta (Pittsburgh, PA) has times of 12:22.14 and 5:41.00 in the 1,000 and 500 freestyle, respectively, while clocking in at 1:06.26 and 2:21.10 in the 100 and 200-backstroke, respectively. Sophomore Josephine Laur (Seattle, WA) hit 1:00.34 in the 100-freestyle, while freshman Olivai Anton (New York, NY) and sophomore Eva Guarda Vazquez (Seattle, WA) has times of 2:09.93 in the 200 IM and 2:16.28 in the 200 freestyle, respectively.
 
SUNY New Paltz begins the second half of its season, carrying a 2-3 record in dual meets on the women's side, defeating Division II Adelphi and Bard College. For the men, who also last swam on Dec. 4 at the TCNJ Invitational placing fourth, the Hawks are 1-5 after earning a win over the Raptors, 176-13.
 
Seven women have stood out for SUNY New Paltz thus far. Freshman Amanda O'Brien (Bellmore, NY) has times of 11:34.49 in the 1,000 freestyle and 5:40.22 in the 500 freestyle. Senior Kirsten Giovanniella (Bellmore, NY) clocked in at 2:18.04 in the 200 butterfly, freshman Kelly Schweizer (Beekman, NY) has times of 1:03.21 and 2:15.24 in the 100 and 200-backstroke, respectively, freshman Sierra DePry (Fresno, CA) holds times of 26.02, 56.60 and 2:02.44 in the 50, 100 and 200-freestyle, senior Delilah Griger (Cooperstown, NY) has a time of 5:09.17 in the 400 IM, sophomore Alexandra Kassian (Kerhonkson, NY) registered season-best times of 1:11.22, 2:34.34 and 2:16.44 in the 100 breaststroke, 200 breaststroke and 200 IM, respectively, while senior Kelly Donlevy (Bayside, NY) holds a 1:01.87 in the 100 butterfly.
 
For the men, the Hawks have seen consistent performances from senior Owen Rowlands (Campbell Hall, NY) with times of 11:22.78 in the 1,000 freestyle and 4:42.78 in the 400 IM, sophomore Steven Macaluso (Jefferson Valley, NY) with a 22.82 in the 50 freestyle and a 53.94 in the 100 butterfly, freshman Antonio Vavalle (Port Jefferson Station, NY) with time of 1:50.29 in the 200 freestyle and 5:01.37 in the 500 freestyle, sophomore Vern Engstrom (Albany, NY) with a 52.17 in the 100 freestyle, junior Myles Dower (New Rochelle, NY) with a 58.47 in the 100 backstroke, and junior Mason Kennedy (Beavercreek, OH) with a 1:06.19 in the 100 breaststroke.
 
SUNY New Paltz is set to go down to New York City and compete at Baruch against the hosting Bearcats and Gryphons at 1 p.m.

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