Staten Island, NY- The Wagner College swimming and diving team will open its 2021 season this Sunday, as the Seahawks take on Sacred Heart at the Spiro Sports Center at 1:00 PM.
After finishing third at last year's Northeast Conference (NEC) championships, the Seahawks were once again predicted to finish third in the league's annual preseason coaches poll.
Despite losing former Olympian
Dorian McMenemy to graduation, the Green and White return a plethora of talent, returning six medalists from last year's NEC championships.
Sophomore
Maile Mora earned a second-place finish in the 400 IM, touching the wall in 4:23.77 at last year's NEC Championships while picking up a bronze medal in the 200 Fly, finishing in 2:04.45 and took third in the 200 IM in 2:03.98, earning a medal in every race she competed in. Fellow sophomore
Hannah Muro and junior
Judith Desforges were part of the fastest 200 Free Relay team in school history, earning a silver medal in 1:33.70 a season ago.
Senior
Hande Kivanc picked up a third-place finish in the 200 Back a season ago, Junior
Ellie Eastwood, the 2019 NEC Rookie of the Year, returns after picking up a bronze medal in the 200 Medley Relay a season ago.
On the diving board, senior
Aleah Mirand returns after taking second place on the 1-meter board at the NEC Championships with 204.60 points a season ago for the first medal of her collegiate career.
This year's senior class features 11 student-athletes in Ashley Roth,
Natalie Morse, Mirand,
Sidney Marjamaa, Kivanc,
Brianna Jeremiah,
Harmony Eckroth,
Madeleine Delore,
Michelle D'Allegro,
Megan Chiu, and
Cara Angelo.
The Pioneers come into the weekend with a 1-1 dual meet, picking up their lone victory of the season over Merrimack.
Last season, the Seahawks defeated the Pioneers by a score of 164.00 – 79.00 at the Iona Quad
Following this weekend, the Green and White are scheduled to take on St. Francis Brooklyn on March 12 at the Spiro Sports Center.
