March 5, 2009

Bronx, N.Y. - Fordham University student-athletes Billy Colton (Washingtonville, N.Y./Washingtonville Senior), Justin Coombs (Newburgh, N.Y./Newburgh Free Academy), Ryan Coombs (Newburgh, N.Y./Newburgh Free Academy) and Caitlin Napoli (Hauppauge, N.Y./St. Anthony's) were recognized for their athletic and academic accomplishments by being named to the 2008-09 Atlantic 10 Men's and Women's Swimming and Diving Academic All-Conference teams.

Of the 22 sports sponsored by the Atlantic 10, seven are winter sports: men's and women's basketball, women's gymnastics, men's and women's swimming & diving, and men's and women's indoor track & field. To be eligible, a student-athlete must have a grade point average of at least 3.00 and be a starter or key reserve on his/her team. Voting is conducted by the Atlantic 10 Conference's sports information directors. The number of players selected to a team reflects the standard-sized team in that sport.

Ryan Coombs, a junior, won the 200 fly at the 2009 Atlantic 10 Championship in Buffalo in a season-best time of 1:50.03 on the final day of competition. He also scored in the 200 free, placing fourth in a season-best time of 1:40.17, and the 500 free, taking eighth in a season-best time of 4:40.77. It is the second consecutive season in which Ryan Coombs earned Academic All-Conference honors.

Not to be outdone, twin brother, Justin Coombs, set a school record at the championship, swimming 20.72 in 50 freestyle preliminaries, breaking the old record of 20.73 set by Justin Shaw in 2003. He placed fourth in the finals.

The two brothers also were part of the 200 and 400 freestyle relays, earning Second Team All-Atlantic 10 honors in both events as the Rams took second in each race. The 200 freestyle relay finished in a school-record time of 1:22.21, surpassing the former record of 1:23.69, while the 400 free relay placed second in a school record time of 3:01.54, smashing the former record of 3:04.10 set in 1979, the oldest Fordham men's relay record on the books.

The Coombs brothers were also part of two other record-setting relays, the 200 and 400 medley relays. The 200 medley relay placed third in a time of 1:31.62, breaking the old mark of 1:33.00, set in 1996. The 400 finished sixth in a time of 3:23.95, breaking the old mark of 3:24.93 set in 1996.

Colton, a sophomore, placed third in the 100 backstroke (50.61 - season best) and fifth in the 200 backstroke (1:51.65) at the Atlantic 10 Championship. He also took tenth in the 200 IM at A-10's (1:54.47 - season best).

Colton was also a member of the 200 and 400 relay, along with the Coombs brothers, that each placed second at the Atlantic 10 Championship, both in school record times, earning Second Team All-Conference honors as well as a member of the 200 and 400 medley relays that each set a school record at the A-10's (see above for times).

Academically, Justin Coombs is a Business Administration major while Ryan is a Chemistry major. Both have been named to the Atlantic 10 Commissioner's Honor Roll each of the past three years. Colton is majoring in Finance.

Napoli, a junior who earns Academic All-Conference honors for the second straight year, led the Fordham women to a second place team finish, its best ever showing at the Atlantic 10 Championship. Prior to this year, the best finish for a Fordham women's team was a third place showing in 2007.

Napoli won two events at the championship, placing first in both the 200 and 500 freestyle, setting school records in both races. She won 200 free in a time of 1:49.55 surpassing her own record of 1:49.97 (set in a morning preliminary), which broke the two-day old record of Tressa Dunn, CBA '10, who clocked a 1:51.61 over the first 200 meters in the 800 freestyle relay on Wednesday night. Napoli won the 500 free in a time of 4:52.07, shattering the old school record of 4:57.75 set by Katie Greiner in 2004.

Napoli also finished second in the 200 fly to earn Second Team All-Conference honors, finishing 0.83 second behind teammate and record-setter, Courtney Collyer.

Napoli was also a member of the 800 freestyle relay that also took home gold and set an Atlantic 10 record, winning the event in 7:24.25, breaking the record of 7:28.19 set by Richmond in 2007 and destroying the school record by close to 14 seconds. She was also a part of the school record-breaking 200 and 400 free relays, earning Second Team All-Conference honors with the 400 free relay, placing second in a school record time of 3:24.56, bettering the former mark of 3:31.35 set in 2005. The 200 free relay took sixth in a time of 1:35.85, breaking the old record of 1:36.52 set in 2003.

Academically, Napoli is a Business Administration major who has been named to the Atlantic 10 Commissioner Honor Roll each of the past three years.