ROCHESTER: The GCC men's and women's swimming and diving teams wrapped up the Region III/Northeast District Championships this weekend with a number of honors, including a championship on the men's side and a runner-up finish for the women.
The men held the lead the entire weekend at host site Monroe CC and put together another strong performance during the final day to cap off the win.
Matthew Langerman began Sunday by winning his third event of the championships, topping the 1650 free. Kyle Podlaski followed suite and broke his own school record in the 200 back, winning the event with a finishing time of 2:00.20.
Joan Ferrer kept the Cougars comfortably in front by earning another individual victory, pacing the 100 free (48.82), and Benjamin Vacanti and Thomas Richardson went fourth and fifth in the 200 breast, with times of 2:35.91 and 2:56.43. Alex Dedoszak and Trent Stack finished second and third in the 200 fly, with times of 2:16.33 and 2:28.77 respectively.
In the final event of the championships, Podlaski, Langerman, Ferrer and Richardson put the finishing touches on the title with a win in the 400 free relay, topping the race with a time of 3:24.21.
Genesee finished with 479 total points, 72 points ahead of second place Monroe CC, which finished with 407. Jamestown CC rounded out the top three with a total of 271 points. The Cougars earned the Region III and Northeast District championships, and were also named the Most Improved Team. Podlaski, Langerman and Ferrer were all honored as Swimmers of the Meet.
The women got off to a fast start on Sunday thanks to Angel Priest who won the 200 back (2:21.83). MiKenna Carpenter narrowly missed a first place finish in the 100 free, finishing just .04 seconds off of the lead. She swam the race in 58.48.
Miranda Dunton and Lindsay Harloff went second and third in the 1650, both finishing with career bests in the race and the pair teamed up with Priest and Carpenter to come in second in the 400 free relay with an end time of 3:57.80.
GCC finished with 283 points and finished runner-up to the Monroe CC women in Region III. The Cougars came in third in the Northeast District standings behind MCC and Fashion Institute of Technology.
Genesee will now move on to the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) National Championships, which will be held in Buffalo at host site Erie CC. The championships will take place March 1-4.