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Ian O'Rourke
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The Niagara University swimming and diving teams swept cross-town rival Canisius College on Thursday at the Koessler Center pool. The men were victorious by a score of 135-96, while the women took a final of 134-93.
Each team had a trio of double winners on the evening, including Pat Garvey (Pine Hills, N.Y.) and Ashley Clingersmith (Niagara Falls, N.Y.). Garvey’s 100-yard freestyle time of 47.16 broke the previous pool record of 47.80.
“I am very pleased with our performance today,” Niagara head coach Ben Nigro said, “especially since we are just returning from our winter training trip. For us to be able to do as well as we did is great. Having meets this close to one another helps us get ready for MAAC’s.”
On the men’s side, Garvey, freshman Ian O’Rourke (Grand Island, N.Y.) and Zak Brown (Bakersfield, Calif.) were double winners. O’Rourke won the one-meter and three-meter dives with scores of 247.05 and 274.56, respectively. Brown took the 200-yard freestyle (1:47.32) and the 500-yard freestyle (5:02.00). Garvey also took the 50-yard freestyle.
“The transformation from high school to college, going against new divers, is definitely a new experience,” O’Rourke explained. “I’m getting used to it, but the support that I get from my teammates is awesome. I love it.”
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Ashley Clingersmith
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Joining Clingersmith in the double-win category was junior Hope Wiles (Baltimore, Md.) and Elizabeth Piggott (Staatsburg, N.Y.). Wiles won the 1,000-yard freestyle (11:05.22) and the 500-yard freestyle (5:29.94), while Piggott took the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 55.50 and the 200-yard freestyle with a mark of 2:01.82.
Clingersmith, swimming in front of her family and friends, won the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 25.30 and the 100-yard butterfly with a mark of 1:02.71.
“I was really pumped because my family was here,” Clingersmith said. “After working real hard in Florida, I am very pleased with how I performed. I didn’t think that I would do this well, but I am very happy.”
The Purple Eagles are back in action when they host the University at Buffalo on Saturday.
