MCC Daily Tribune
Monroe Swimming and Diving Teams Cap Off Season with National Success
The 2021-2022 Swimming and Diving season proved to be a difficult season. A late exposure of COVID-19 plagued the team and coaching staff during critical taper time over two weeks leading into the NJCAA Tournament that took place this past weekend. Beaten but unbroken, the team battled to get healthy and the six-month season was completed with a story book ending for both Men & Women Teams.
The 2021-22 Men captured the Al Zamsky Non-Scholarship Team Championship over the grueling 4-day, 8 session championship meet. The MCC team was led by a talented core of swimmers and divers that all scored points in a Men’s meet filled with immense talent, where scholarship teams made up the majority of their competition. Callum O’Neil led the way for the Men’s Team and was crowned the Non-Scholarship Athlete of the Meet posting phenomenal swims in the 200 Butterfly (1:58.41), 200 Freestyle (1:48.17) and 200 IM (2:03.60). O’Neil has carried a 3.8 GPA while on the team and plans to continue his swimming career after MCC. Michael Laviani continued his dominance in the distance freestyle events posting lifetime bests in the 500 Free, 1,000 Free, 1,650 Free and 400 IM. His 400 IM he dropped over 8 seconds from prelims to finals. Cameron Goodspeed persevered against some very fast competition to punch his tickets in consolation finals in the 100 Breast, 200 Breast and 100 IM. He posted all lifetime bests in these events, and nearly captured the Region III record in the 50 Yard backstroke leading the first leg of the 200 Medley relay. Nolan Shelmidine bolstered sections of 4 different relays and added great swims in the 200 Backstroke to gain points for the Tribunes, while also posting lifetime swims in the 100 Fly, 50 Fly and 100 Backstroke.
The MCC Men Diving Team led by Coach John Rodman had some outstanding finishes at the NJCAA Meet this year in compliment to the swimming events. Coach Rodman converted former Monroe Tribune Soccer player Carson Coleman and swimmer Brendan Briggs to springboard divers over the past 6 months. New to the sport of diving, Briggs and Coleman secured the most points individually for the team placing 6th and 7th overall, and helping the team take the lead in the Non-Scholarship contention during the last session of events. From that point, the team powered through to solidify the Non-Scholarship win with a solid performance in the 400 Free relay in where Alex Scaglione led off with a 49.70 - a lifetime best. Alex provided sprint support in all relays.
In addition, the 2021-22 Women’s Team performed very well at the national tournament. Sophomore Violet Jarreau-Landers had the meet of her life posting lifetime bests in each of her swims - the backstroke, 500 freestyle, 1,000 Freestyle and 100 Freestyle in the 400 Medley Relay. Her stoic leadership inspired teammates like McKenna Briggs and Kara Williamson to swim lights out over the 4-day event. Briggs dropped significant time in the 50 breast, 100 breast, 100 Freestyle and 200 Freestyle, and she was the top point scorer for the lady Tribunes at the meet. Kara Williamson broke into some great sprint times at the NJCAA Meet where her 50 Free, 50 Fly, 100 IM and 100 Breast were lifetime best that scored many points to help secure 7th overall team score out of 10 teams - 7 off them being scholarship teams. Emma Preski demonstrated heart by swimming each of the distance events at the national meet along with the 400 IM. She dropped almost 30 seconds in her 1,650 Free (mile)swim on the last day. She scored points in each race and added competitive edge in all the relays. Ashlyn Neathawk provided sprint swims in the 100 Freestyle and relay support in the 200 Medley, 200 Free Relay, 400 Free Relay. She also swam the 500 free and posted a great time in the 200 Freestyle. Rounding out the meet for the Women were supporting teammates Sage Garcia and Jamie Leigenbuth. They both swam best times in their relay splits of the 400 Freestyle relay.
Please help us in Congratulating both TEAMS. Through perseverance and collective teamwork they overcame adversity and completed an amazing season.
Monroe Swimming & Diving Coaching Staff
Kaci Chiappone
Athletics
03/09/2022