CANISIUS COLLEGE ATHLETICS
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Canisius men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams earned a split on the road at Marist Friday morning to open the 2018-19 season. For the first time in program history, the Canisius women won by a score of 160-140, while the men’s team fell to the host Red Foxes, 178-116.
The women’s team claimed top-spots in eight of the 14 women’s races on Friday. In diving, Canisius senior Vivian Mroz placed second in both the 1-meter and 3-meter competitions. Mroz’s score of 238.80 took secondary-honors in the 1-meter, while teammate Vinnie Costanzo placed fourth with her score of 210.37. In the 3-meter, Mroz posted 233.37 points en route to a second-place honor, while Costanzo (232.25 – 3rd) and Gianna Cornelia(225.52 – 4th) rounded out the top-five diving scores.
On the women’s side, the relay unit of sophomores Kelsey Childress, Madison Chapin, junior Ashlynn Gilfillanand freshman Madison Eufer won the women’s 200-yard medley relay. Childress earned top-honors in the 200-yard breaststroke and 200-yard IM races. Senior Cassie Brousseau added to the Golden Griffins lead with two first-place finishes in the 100-yard (1:00.58) and 200-yard (2:09.51) backstroke events.
Gilfillan earned a total of four first place finishes including the 50-yard (25.38) and 100-yard (54.90) free races, as well as the 400-yard free relay event. The junior was joined by teammates Alexis Agee, Sage Pollack and Kelly Burns in the 400-yard free event. Freshman Cara Smith earned top honors in the 500-yard free event and a second-place finish in the 1,000-yard free race.
In the men’s competition, the relay team of juniors Kenyon Winkky, Kyle Griffin, sophomore Lucas Kennedyand freshman Kyle Kimerer started the day off by winning the 200-yard medley. Kennedy had a stand-out day with top finishes in the 100-yard and 200-yard breaststroke events. Freshman Liam O’Connell picked up his first collegiate victory in the 200-yard free race. Griffin, Kimerer, Winkky and O’Connell also earned top-honors in the 400-yard free relay to close out the competition.
Both the men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams will return to action Oct. 20, when the Griffs travel to swim at University of Rochester. The meet in Rochester, N.Y., has a start time set for 11 a.m.