Riverdale, NY - The Manhattan swimming and diving program starts its 2017-2018 season on Friday, October 6 with a two-day meet against St. Francis Brooklyn and LIU Brooklyn.
Friday's events will start at 3:00 pm in Brooklyn Heights, NY. Both the men's and women's teams will face the host Terriers. In addition, the women's side will square off against LIU Brooklyn only. The meet moves to LIU Brooklyn on Saturday at 11:30 am. The opponents will remain the same for each squad both days.
The season also marks the first meet for head coach
Molly Belk. A two-time Olympic Trials qualifying swimmer for the University of Minnesota, Belk spent the last two years as the Lead Coach of the Asphalt Green Unified Aquatics in New York City.
Earlier on Thursday, the MAAC released its 2017-18 Preseason Coaches' Poll. The men's team was tabbed to finish ninth, while the women were ranked eighth. The Rider men's squad and the Marist women's team were chosen to repeat as MAAC Champions in each respective poll.
The Jaspers return 12 letterwinners on the men's side from last season. Sophomore
Timothy Valentine headlines the returning swimmers. The Massapequa native became the first Manhattan individual champion when he won the 100-yard breaststroke at the ECAC Championships last season.
Tyler McCloskey,
Mitchell Rifkind and
Brandon Shields provide veteran leadership as the three senior swimmers. Senior
Dan Dixon and sophomore
Matthew Broadmeadow are expected to log ample time on the diving board. Belk has also brought in four freshmen this year in
Charles Ledda,
Derek Lederer,
Aiden Neville and
Kevin Richard.
For the women, the program seeks to build off a program-record 194 points in the 2017 MAAC Championships. Fourteen members return with two newcomers. The team is top-heavy in upperclassmen, with three seniors and seven juniors compared to four sophomores and two freshmen.
Alexandra Hutzler, who broke multiple school records in the 50-yard and 100-yard butterfly and breaststroke in last year's MAAC Championships, pairs up with
Audrey Corcoran and
Eileen Blood as Manhattan's most experienced members.
Kaitlyn Moreschi and
Miranda Gonzalez represent the Jasper rookies.
