The Niagara University men’s swimming and diving team earned its first conference title since 1994 during the weekend, claiming the 2025 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference title.
The Purple Eagles scored 653.5 points to hold off Marist by just 32 points(621.5), ending a 31-year conference title drought. Fairfield was third with 615.5, followed by Iona (512.5), Rider (396.5), Mount St. Mary’s (285.5), Canisius (205), Saint Peter’s (140) and Manhattan (113).
The Niagara women also won the conference championship, making the program just the fifth in MAAC history to sweep both titles in one year – and the first in 17 years. The last team to achieve that feat was Marist in 2008. Eric Bugby was named MAAC Swimming Coach of the Year.
The Niagara women scored 766 points to win its third title in the past four years. Fairfield was second with 597, followed by Marist (511), Sacred Heart (406), Mount St. Mary’s (334), Iona (295), Canisius (259), Siena (208), Rider (202), Merrimack (71), Manhattan (63) and St., Peter’s (63).
MAAC Men
In the men’s meet, Niagara’s Nathan Dragon took first in the 100 freestyle (43.73) and 50 free (19.78). Teammate Sean Finley repeated as 200 breaststroke champ, winning in a time of 1:58.10.
Levi Morgan, Reid Tichy, Jake Wade and Dragon won the 200 free relay in a MAAC-record 1:19.64.
Marist’s James Conable won the 1650 free (15:44.13), the 200 IM (1:46.14) in a meet record and the 400 IM (3:50.44).
Iona’s Michael Faughnan won the 200 back in a meet-record 1:41.64. He broke the record in the 200 free (1:34.39) and the 500 free (4:19.62) and was named MAAC Most Outstanding Swimmer.
Faughnan teamed with Kieran Egan, Nate Wales and Liam Pyatt wo win the 400 free relay in a meet-record 2:56.98. Faughnan, Matthew Loftus, Egan and Wales won the 400 medley relay in a meet mark of 3:11.51. Egan, Wales, Harry Platt and Faughnan won the 800 free relay in 6:29.30. Faughnan, Loftus, Egan and Nick Patino won the 200 medley relay (1:26:60) in a meet record.
Egan won the 100 back (47.75).
Fairfield’s Christopher Weber won the 200 fly in 1:46.89. Chris Dauser won the 100 butterfly (47.57). Andrew Cataldo won 1-meter diving with 284.55 points.
Mount St. Mary’s breaststroker Aidan Grady won the 100 in a meet-record 53.18.
Rider’s Stavros Xantheas won 3-meter diving with 316.35 points.
MAAC Women
In the women’s meet, Niagara’s Natalie Killion won the 200 back (1:55.90) in a meet record, the 500 free in a record 4:48.18 and the 200 free in a record 1:48.20. She was named Most Outstanding Swimmer.
Niagara’s Claire Gorton won the 100 free in 50.97. Aliana Pitton won the 200 breaststroke in a meet-record 2:14.42 and the 200 IM (2:02.24). Chloe Vlaeminck won the 400 IM (4:20.87). Niagara’s Marty Divis won the 1650 free (16:50.35).
Killion, Pitton, Maria Mitova and Paige South won the 400 medley relay in a meet-record 3:42.93.
South won the 50 free in 23.22.
South, Megan Jackson, Gorton and Pitton won the 200 free relay in a meet-record 1:32.90. Killian, Jackson, Gorton and Mary Carl won the 800 free relay, also in a meet record (7:23.19).
Sacret Heart’s Sinclair Yadao won 1-meter diving with 255.15 points, 3-meter (255.80) and was named MAAC Most Outstanding Diver.
Mount St. Mary’s broke the MAAC record in the 400 free relay with Meghan Speicher, Theodora Kanelklopoulou, Carmen Del Aguila Martin and Christine Lazari getting to the wall in 3:24.66.
Siena’s Hope Ivanovich broke the meet record to win the 100 fly in 54.49.
Fairfield’s Tone Sandsjoe won the 100 breast in a meet mark of 1:00.61. Erini Pappas won the 100 backstroke (55.44). Pappas, Sandsjoe, Lara Kisakol and Olivia Thompson won the 200 medley relay in a meet mark of 1:40.61.
