Staten Island, NY- The Wagner College women's swim team capped off its 2009-2010 season with a third-place finish at the Northeast Conference (NEC) Championships and a 12th-place finish at the Eastern College Athletics Conference (ECAC) Championships. The Seahawk wrapped up their season with a 5-6 overall mark, 4-1 in the NEC. 

The Seahawks dual meet wins came against Bryant University (160-102), Saint Francis (NY) (76-19), Sacred Heart University (66-29), New Jersey Institute of Technology (130-21), and Mount Saint Mary's (125-70). 

Senior co-captain Jessica Hart (Montreal, Canada / Northwest) garnered First Team All-NEC honors in the 100 butterfly with a season best time of 55.24. In the 200 butterfly, Hart received Second Team All NEC accolades after clocking in at 2:06.81. At the ECAC Championships, the current ECAC record-holder in the 100 butterfly notched a second-place finish in 55.79, just .34 of a second behind the winner. Hart was part of the Second Team All- NEC 200 freestyle relay team (1:37.42) and notched Third Team All-NEC recognition in the 400 medley relay, 200 medley relay and 400 freestyle relay. The senior also set two pool records this year against CCSU and Rhode Island in the 100 butterfly and 200 butterfly. 

Wagner's second senior co-captain, Melanie Rodriguez-Lapman (Chesire, CT / Chesire) earned recognition on the top-16 list in the NEC in eight different categories. Rodriguez-Lapman also stands among the top 10 Championship times in the 200 butterfly and 400 IM. At the NEC Championships, the senior helped the team to two third-place finishes in the 400 and 800 freestyle relay events. 

"Jessica and Melanie ended their career here as they always had, with a lot of heart, determination, and conviction,” remarked Wagner Head Coach Mark Sowa. “These are two of the best performers that Wagner Swimming has ever seen and they were absolutely wonderful leaders this year. Melanie's versatility not only allowed her to swim just about every event during her four years at Wagner but she did them fast! Jessica turned herself into the best butterflier in conference history and is now excited to continue her career after graduation. These two will be sorely missed." 

Wagner's other upperclassmen were comprised of juniors Sarah Plucinsky (Allentown, PA / Allentown Central Catholic) and Bethny Brown (Enfield, CT / Ennco Fermi High). Plucinsky was a key component in Wagner's relay teams this season, garnering Second Team All-NEC in the 200 freestyle relay and Third Team All-NEC in the 400 medley relay, 400 freestyle relay and 800 freestyle relay events. Plucinsky also ranks among the top-eight in the NEC Championship results in the 50 freestyle and100 freestyle. 

Brown finished the season receiving Third Team All-NEC in the 200 medley relay. She held two top-16 times in the NEC with performances in the 100 and 200 breaststroke. She is currently among the elite eight Championships time holders in the 100 breaststroke. 

"Sarah continues to improve every year which showed by her championship final performance in the 200 freestyle,” said Sowa. “ While Beth struggled with her health this year, she was still able to once again final in her 100 breast, an event she holds the school record in, and contribute to our 200 Medley Relay team. I am excited to see these two take the reins of leadership next year." 

Wagner's sophomore class is compiled of Mary Ryan (Staten Island, NY / St. Joseph Hill Academy), Patricia Gavin (Staten Island, NY / Staten Island Tech), Jakki Guenther (South Hadley, MA / South Hadley HS), Lauren Meyer (Hamden, CT / Hamden HS) and Breanne Sweeney (Staten Island, NY / Notre Dame Academy). Ryan notched a pair of second-place C final finishes at the NEC Championships in the 500 freestyle and 100 backstroke. Ryan also took 11th in the 1650 with a season best time of 18:36.10. 

Gavin was a contributing element to Wagner's 2010 NEC Championships third place finishers in the 400 medley relay. The sophomore held top-16 times in the conference in the 100 and 200 breaststroke. Gavin also finished among the top-eight in Championship results in the 100 breaststroke. 

Guenther earned Second Team All-NEC recognition for her vital contribution to Wagner's 200 freestyle relay team at the NEC Championships. The sophomore also received Third Team All-NEC accolades for her performance in the Seahawks 200 and 400 medley relay and 800 freestyle relay. On the season, Guenther reached top-16 times in the 100 butterfly, 50 backstroke, 100 backstroke, 200 backstroke and 200 IM. She also holds the number four spot in the NEC Championship results in the 100 backstroke, 200 backstroke and 200 IM. 

Meyer finished the season by receiving Second-Team All NEC honors through her contribution in Wagner's 200 freestyle relay. She was also a member of the Seahawks' Third-Team All-NEC 400 freestyle relay team. The sophomore ended her 2010 season ranked among the top-eight in the NEC's Championship results in the 50 freestyle. 

Sweeney helped Wagner earn Third-Team All-NEC recognition with her contribution in the Seahawks' 200 medley relay. For the season, Sweeney ranks among the top-16 times in the 50, 100 and 200 backstroke. Sweeney is also among the top-eight the NEC's Championship results in the 100 and 200 backstroke. 

"There is a good chance that when it is all said and done, this will be one of the best all around classes in Wagner history,” Sowa said. “Our trio from Staten Island all took significant steps forward this year. Mary was an absolute stud in the distance events. Trish competed in her first championship final in the 200 breast. Breanne had a breakthrough season in both backstroke events and lead off our 200 Medley Relay. Lauren Meyer swam two new events for her this season and has turned herself into one of the best sprint freestylers on our team. Jakki continues to impress, finaling in the 200 IM and 100 back while being a member of four of our relay teams. This group is not only very talented but a blast to work with,” stated Sowa. 

Rounding out the rest of Wagner's underclassmen are five freshmen, Alanna Gibbons (Staten Island, NY / Staten Island Tech), Tatum Colitz (Wyomissing, PA / Wilson), Amber Weech (Nassau, Bahamas / Saint Augustine's), Dana Samuel (Rivonia/ South Africa / Crawford College) and Austyn Carolin (Augusta, ME / Cony). 

Gibbons currently holds two positions on the NEC top-16 list in the 100 and 200 butterfly. The freshman also is fifth on the NEC Championships result in the 100 butterfly. At the NEC Championships, Gibbons notched a fourth-place finish in the 100 butterfly. She was also 11th in the 200 butterfly and first in the C final for the 200 IM at the NEC Championships. 

Tatum concluded her first year as a Seahawk with a top-10 finish in the 100 butterfly at the NEC Championships. The freshman also garnered a 12th place time in the 200 butterfly and clocked a personal best time in the 50 freestyle at the Championships. 

Weech concluded the 2010 season by retaining two NEC top-16 times in the 100 and 200 freestyle events. She was a vital part of the Green & White's Third Team All-NEC 800 freestyle relay team. The freshman also took a 10th place finish in the 50 freestyle and a pair of 11th place times in the 100 and 200 freestyle events. 

Samuel clinched a spot on the NEC's top-16 list with her times in the 200 backstroke and the 400 IM. She also maintains a position in the conference's elite eight Championship results with her performance in the 1650. The freshman highlighted her season with an eighth-place finish at the NEC Championships in the 1650 freestyle. 

Carolin, who specializes in freestyle events, recorded her best times of the season at the NEC Championships where she competed in the 50, 100 and 200 freestyle events. 

"If this group improves like last year's freshmen we can expect great things. Alanna showed great promise in the 200 IM and both butterfly events. Her fourth place performance in the 100 fly bodes well for the future,” said Sowa. “Tatum came here thinking she was a sprint freestyler but had one of her best performances in the 200 fly (an event she never swam before Wagner.) Amber gave us really solid swims in the 50, 200 and 100 free as well as a great leg on the 800 free relay. After having a tough first semester, Dana had a great meet and really started to figure things out. Austyn came here with very limited racing experience and gave us one of our best performances in the 200 free."