Women’s Swimming Finishes 5th at Skyline Conference Championships

Written by Andrew Capitelli (SJC-LI Sports Information)

Purchase, NY| The St. Joseph's College (L.I.) women's swimming team wrapped up its 2016-17 season on Saturday afternoon when they earned a fifth-place finish at the Skyline Conference Championships hosted by SUNY Purchase on Saturday afternoon.

The Golden Eagles, who sat in fifth place after day one, finished 5.5 points behind SUNY Maritime who finished fourth place.

SJC head coach Stephanie Palmeri was named Women's Swimming Coach of the Year after her side broke two program records this weekend. After Zollo broke the program's 200 freestyle record on Friday she, and Kim Mazza, Aileen Baker and Samantha Mullman, broke the 400 freestyle relay with a time of 3:59.24, good for a fourth-place finish.

Mullman opened Sunday afternoon for SJC with an eighth-place finish in the 100 yard freestyle with a time of 58.03. Zollo checked in at 15th place with a season-best time of 59.61.

Junior Lorraine Diehl fell just outside of the top 12 when she established a season-best time of 2:35.30 in the 200 yard backstroke and placed 13th. Fellow classman Kayleigh Aiello established a season-best 2:48.56 in the same event.

Junior Marissa Palmeri shaved nearly four seconds off her seed time in the 200 yard breaststroke when she finished ninth with a time of 2:58.60 to earn SJC four points.

Other strong performances were had by Mazza in the 500 yard freestyle (9th, 5:54.58) and Zollo in the 100 yard butterfly (1:06.10).

Final Team Results
1) U.S. Merchant Marine, 483.5
2) Mount St. Mary, 368.5
3) Sarah Lawrence, 256
4) SUNY Maritime, 89.5
5) St. Joseph's (L.I.), 84
6) SUNY Purchase, 78
7) St. Joseph's (Brkln), 37
8) SUNY Old Westbury, 24
9) Mount St. Vincent, 21.5

Individual Awards
Coach of the Year: Stephanie Palmeri, St. Joseph's (L.I.)
Rookie of the Year: Naima Mackrel, Sarah Lawrence
Swimmer of the Year: Harley Illingworth, Mount Saint Mary