BALTIMORE, MD - Susquehanna's men's and women's swimming and diving teams have wrapped up their 2024-2025 season following Sunday's fourth and final day of the Landmark Championships at Loyola Maryland's Mangione Aquatics Center. The women showcased a handful of podium finishes to place fourth with 242 points, while the men finished fifth with 171 points. These marks were consistent with their Pre-Championship Poll placements.
Junior Mackenzie Moran added to Susquehanna's medal count after placing third in the 200-yard breaststroke. She made the finals after posting a time of 2:31.69, then imrpoved by more than two seconds at 2:29.62 to take bronze for the River Hawks. Sunday also gave way to Susquehanna's three seniors as Ashley Derrick, Megan Iannacone and Madison Milheim made their last strokes memorable. For Derrick and Iannacone, they teamed up with Catherine Sirignano to give Susquehanna three spots on the podium for the 200-yard backstroke. Sirignano led with a fourth-place time of 2:11.75, followed by Derrick in sixth at 2:15.60 and Iannacone eighth at 2:20.13. Hannah Nash also competed in the 200 back, placing 12th at 2:23.72. Milheim and Maddie Lebkicker took to the 200 butterfly, with Lebkicker earning an A Finals spot after a 2:31.84 preliminary time. She carried it over to an eighth-place mark of 2:31.52, while Milheim finished ninth with a time of 2:34.53.
Susquehanna competed in 11 of the 12 scheduled events on the day, as many athletes showcased their skills for the final time this season. Sunday's events started off with two River Hawks qualifying for the women's 1650 yard freestyle. Matilda Klinetob got eighth place in the event, showing a staggering time of 18:30.06. Kate Wolford was the other SU athlete to qualify, as she got a 15th place finish, clocking a time of 19:20.75. The men's counterpart 1650 yard freestyle fared well for the River Hawks, as Kenny Smith claimed 16th place, setting a PR time of 18:43.71.
The men fared well on their end of the 200-yard backstroke, as two River Hawks qualified for the finals. Dan Venuti earned ninth place with at time of 2:01.16, followed by Brandon Sutherland in 13th place with a time of 2:04.94. Susquehanna rumbled into the 10-yard freestyle, showcasing three River Hawks in the event. Payton Kenney got 11th place, with a time of 55.80, followed by Cameron Alvino in 13th place with a time of 56.27. Rounding out the event was Isabella Westerfield in 14th place with a time of 56.97. The 100 yard freestyle fared well for Susquehanna as 12th place belonged to David Gentile as he showed a time of 48.86, followed in 13th place by Eskander Bierman, with a time of 49.68. On the men's side of the 200 breaststroke, Timothy Wetmore got 12th place with a time of 2:18.02, followed by Joey Wayne in 16th place with a time of 2:24.62.
Finishing out the season for the River Hawks was the men's and women's 400 yard freestyle relay. The women placed fifth with a time of 3:44.88, set by Kenney, Isabella Westerfield, Cameron Alvino, and Derrick. The men had their best finish on the day getting fourth place in the event. Keegan Pence, Eskander Bierman, Dan Venuti, and David Gentile set a time of 3:17.72 to finish out Susquehanna's swimming and diving seasons.
The first year under head coach Kelley Hilliker boasted many successes with a primarily young squad. With the bulk of the team back for next season and a batch of newcomers, the River Hawks hope the future will shine bright in their return to prominence. Only 37 points separated the men from fourth-place Elizabethtown. At the top of the men's standings were champion Catholic with 615.5 points, Scranton second at 513.5, and third-place Drew at 462. For the women Scranton won it all with 662 points, with Catholic second at 502 points and Drew third at 352 points.
