Swimming & Diving Has Historic Senior Day by Sweeping UMass

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Bronx, N.Y. – It was certainly a special day at Fordham's Francis B. Messmore Aquatic Center on Saturday, as 11 Fordham seniors were honored for their hard work and contributions to the swimming & diving program.  The group though had one more big performance for the home crowd, as they led the Rams to a first-ever sweep of the University of Massachusetts.
 
For the Fordham men, the Rams topped the Minutemen, 156-142, marking the first-ever win for Fordham against UMass.  The Fordham women completed the sweep with a 190-110 victory over the Minutewomen.
 
In the men's competition, everything came down to the final race in the 200 freestyle relay, where Fordham's team of Travis Monahan, Joe Mercurio, Kevin Berry, and Joseph Vizza came up big, winning the event in a season-best time of 1:23.92 to seal the historic win.
 
The relay win was one of nine event wins for the Fordham men, led by Vizza and Liam Semple, who were both dual event winners.  Vizza took the top spot in the 100 (46.87) and 200 (1:41.54) freestyle events, while Semple captured both distance freestyle events, winning the 1000 freestyle in a season-best time of 9:33.60 and the 500 freestyle in 4:38.57.
 
Other individual events winners included Greg Lombana in the 200 butterfly (1:53.49), Tommy Christensen in the 100 butterfly (51.20), and Isiah Magsino in the 200 individual medley (1:54.20).

 
The final event win was in the 200 medley relay, as Miguel Mattox, Sean Finlay, Mercurio, and Vizza earned the win with a time of 1:33.42.
 
Then in the women's competition, Fordham won 11 events, led by Tara Brunner, who was the lone dual event winner.  She placed first in the 50 (24.16) and 100 (52.55) freestyle events.
 
Eight other women earned a first place finish on Saturday for Fordham, which included seniors Megan Polaha in the 200 butterfly (2:05.80) and Marie Feneron in the 200 individual medley (2:09.84).  They were joined by Paulina Watson in the 200 freestyle (1:56.21), Deirdre McGrath in the 100 breaststroke (1:07.15), Catherine Alabanza in the 200 backstroke (2:04.66), Nele Albers in the 200 breaststroke (2:23.28), Erin McBride in the 500 freestyle (5:09.89), and Natalie Brown in the 100 butterfly (57.80).
 
The last event win for Fordham was the 200 freestyle relay, where the Rams' group of Brunner, Samantha McDonald, McBride, and Theresa Mullen posted a season-best time of 1:38.11.
 
The Fordham swimming & diving team now looks forward to the 2017 Atlantic 10 Championship, which will be held at the Spire Center in Geneva, Ohio, from February 15^th to 18^th.