Alexa Fitzgerald
Drew men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams closed out their regular season Saturday, Feb. 3, in a dual meet against Rampao at their Adele and Reuben Thomas Pool. Despite a successful meet for the women individually, the team fell to the Roadrunners 152-109. Meanwhile, the Drew men suffered a 153.5-98.5 loss.
Jamie Riffel (‘20) won both the 500 freestyle in 5:39.76 and the 1000 freestyle in 11:38.32. Mal Vishwanath (‘20) took victories in the 100 butterfly with a time of 1:01.02 and the 200 freestyle clocking in at 1:57.74. Vishwanath swam a 54.34 to place second in the 100 freestyle. Her second place finish was one of eight the women’s squad had on that day.
Stephanie Cushman (‘20) swam to three-second place finishes. She swam the 100 backstroke in 1:02.01, the 200 backstroke in 2:14.94 and the 200 individual medley in 2:22.39. Audrey Keliehor (‘21) swam to a pair of second-place finishes in distance, posting times of 5:46.27 in the 500 freestyle and 11:46.01 in the 1000 freestyle. Katie Jefferson (‘20) grabbed second with a time of 2:23.18 in the 200 butterfly. Jenny Stein (‘18) capped her own second place finish with a time of 26.22 in the 50 freestyle.
Meanwhile, on the men’s side, Michael Ma (‘20) won both of his events. Ma posted times of 2:02.16 in the 200 individual medley and 2:02.31 in the 200 butterfly. The Drew men also took first in the 200-yard freestyle relay, clocking in at 1:35.97 with the team of Alexandre Sannibale (‘21), Mack Fox (‘19), Garrett Pilkington (‘20) and Alex Longacre (‘21).
Sannibale also notched second-place finishes in both the 200 butterfly at 2:06.50 and 500 freestyle at 5:01.74. Fox swam 10:17.80 to earn second in the 1000 freestyle. Longacre took second in the 200 individual medley with a time of 2:13.73. In addition, Jack Mahoney (‘20) recorded second in the 50 freestyle at 22.87 and the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:48.78. Matheus Macena (‘21) rounded out the team with a second place finish for the men in the 100 backstroke with a time of 55.28.
Congratulations are extended to Vishwanath and Ma for sweeping the Landmark Conference Male and Female Athlete of the Week awards and to the team for sweeping it for the fourth time this season. Ma earned his third nod and the second in three weeks after being previously recognized on October 16 and January 22. Vishwanath earned her fourth nod of the season, having already been honored on October 16, October 23 and December 4.
On top of this honor, Vishwanath was selected as ECAC Metro Swimmer of the Week. It was her second career ECAC Honor, this one coming a year after her first selection as ECAC Rookie of the Week February 7, 2017. Vishwanath will enter the Landmark Conference Championships with the top times in the league for six different events.
The Rangers will have a week off before they head for the Landmark Conference Championships on the weekend of February 16-18, which will be held in Germantown, MD. The men’s and women’s squads were both picked to finish fourth in the Landmark Preseason Poll, which would match their performance last season.
