BALTIMORE, MD - Susquehanna's men's and women's swimming and diving teams set their sights on the Landmark Conference Championships, held for the third straight year at Loyola College of Maryland's Mangione Aquatics Center. The River Hawks women were slotted third in the conference's pre-championship poll, with the men being ranked fourth. The Championships run from Thursday, February 12-Sunday, February 15 where a victor will be crowned.

The River Hawks are led by head coach John Funk, in his first-year with SU. Previously a coach at Bucknell University, Funk has garnered attention putting the River Hawks back to their winning ways. In Funk's seven years with the Bison the women's team finished as high as second at the Patriot League Championships, while the men's team reached as high as third. He was the program's recruiting coordinator and assisted in writing strength and conditioning programs, including composing dry land workouts. In his time on the Lewisburg campus the Bison boasted over 50 All-Patriot Leaguers. Funk also was head coach of the Lewisburg Gators club team since 2019, overseeing over 100 swim team members ranging from ages 5-18 and a coaching staff ranging from 12-15 people.

Junior Dan Venuti is one of Susquehanna's pivotal swimmers, earning a Landmark Conference Athlete of the Week honors earlier this season. Venuti set a new career high earlier this season at the Misericordia Cougar Splash Invitational in the 100 yard freestyle race, posting a time of 50.12. Venuti, alongside Akira Black, Alex Schweikert, and Doug Bell continued to show his swimming prowess in the season opening meet against Lycoming College and Elizabethtown College. The team helped to lead the River Hawks to their first win of the season, posting a time of 1:41.01 in the 200 yard medley relay. Continuing his excellence he won the 100 yard butterfly and the 100 yard backstroke in the same meet. 

Fellow teammate Doug Bell is also poised to make a splash at the Championships. The first-year swimmer has turned heads all season as he has dominated the freestyle portion of events. Bell began his collegiate career alongside Black, Schweikert, and Venuti in teh 200 yard medley relay, where the team took first place in the opening meet of the season. He continued to showcase in the 50 yard freestyle race of the opening meet, beating out fellow River Hawk Eskander Bierman for first place with a time of 22.94. Heading into the Juniata meet, Bell took a third place finish in the 100 yard freestyle event, posting a time of 51.80. He continued to dominate the freestyle races as he claimed yet another first place finish in the 200 yard freestyle race against Messiah, showcasing a time of 1:53.65. 

Senior Emma Church looks to propel the women's side of swimming from third to first at the Championships later this month. Church, who garnered a Landmark Athlete of the Week honors, started the season by winning every race she participated in against Juniata. Church's first event was the 200 yard freestyle, where she claimed a first place finish for the River Hawks, beating out Juniata's Dani Cline by mere seconds, posting a time of 2:06.94. Continuing on to the 100 yard freestyle, Church claimed yet another first place finish, showing a fast time of 57.89, beating out any opponent by over two seconds. Entering the final event of the contest, SU needed a win to defeat the Eagles. Church paired up with Cameron Alvino, Payton Kenney, and Jillie Donner in the 400 yard freestyle relay. Church swam last, coming in first place by more than two seconds, claiming the win for the River Hawks.

First-year Jillie Donner has put the Landmark Conference on notice, showcasing multiple podium finishes throughout her first-year with the River Hawks. Donner began her collegiate career alongside Catherine Sirignano, Erika Guche, and Payton Kenney in the 200 yard medley relay, where the team of four took a first place finish with a time of 1:59.68. She continued to showcase her dominance in the 100 yard breaststroke event of her collegiate opening meet, taking second place with a time of 1:14.18. She finished her opening meet alongside Cameron Alvino, Matilda Klinetob, and Hannah Nash, finishing in first place in the 200 yard freestyle relay with a time of 1:50.21. Throughout the remainder of the season, Donner continued to garner first-place finishes.