Complete Meet Results

NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. - In their final tune up for the MAAC Championships, the Purple Eagles swimming and diving teams were swept by the St. Bonaventure Bonnies Saturday afternoon at the Oxy Aquatic Center. Niagara lost 154-79 on the women's side, while the men fell 148-93.

Before the meet, the Purple Eagles took the time to honor their five graduating swimmers for Senior Day. It was the last home meet for Niagara's Emily Altier, Clare Curran, Eric Ebert, Emma Pullano, and Emily York.

"I am incredibly thankful for the leadership and dedication that our seniors have provided us over the years," head coach Ben Nigro said. "Today was our last opportunity to race before the championship. We still have some fine tuning to do, but I am confident we will be ready on February 10 when the championship begins."

York, Curran, Pullano, and Altier opened the swimming events as the four seniors teamed up for the 200 medley relay, placing fourth with a time of 1:56.70. Altier took third in the 200 free (2:03.79) and fourth in the 500 free (5:31.83). Ebert placed third in the 100 backstroke with a time of 54.86. Curran swam a 2:18.65 in the 200 IM and a 1:13.96 in the 100 breaststroke. Pullano finished the 200 IM in 2:24.41 and earned a 1:04.60 in the 100 butterfly. York earned second-place finishes in both the women's 200 IM with a time of 2:15.73 and the 500 free with a 5:22.27.

Robert Brown picked up a first-place finish for Niagara with a 21.51 in the 50 free, while Shawn Warner picked up a win in the 200 IM with a time of 1:57.47. Brown also earned a second-place finish in the 100 free in 47.90, while Warner took second in the 100 butterfly with a time of 52.37. Julia Casolo earned first-place finish for the Niagara women, placing first in the 100 butterfly with a time of 59.61. Casolo also helped Niagara's 200 free relay team to first place with a 1:41.58, as she swam the first leg followed by Annie Eckhardt, Marlane Hochgraf, and Sydney Kligys.

Niagara was extremely close in a number of other events, with seven second-place finishes coming within one second or less of a first-place St. Bonaventure finish. Ebert, Nicolas Winograd, Warner, and Brown finished second in the 200 medley relay in 1:35.62, just one-tenth of a second behind the Bonnies' top team. Eckhardt earned a second place finish in women's 50 free with a 25.72, while St. Bonaventure took first with a time of 25.61. In the men's 200 free relay, Ebert swam with Nick Rogers, Andrew Wilson, and James Crumm, and finished at 1:27.79, just a quarter of a second out of first place. 

With the regular season concluded, the Purple Eagles turn their attention to the final meet of the season, the MAAC Championships. The event will be held this year at the Burt Flickinger Center at Erie Community College in Buffalo, N.Y. The championship begins Wednesday, Feb. 10 and concludes Saturday, Feb. 13.

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