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.