Geneva, OH (Feb. 17, 2024) – Niagara University clinched the 2024 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships at SPIRE Academy in Geneva, Ohio, on Saturday night.
After relinquishing the lead on Friday, the Purple Eagles used dominating performances on Saturday to win the MAAC title with a final score of 697, edging runner-up Fairfield by 62 points. It was Niagara’s second title over the past three years, and the second women’s crown in program history after winning the program’s first in 2022.
Niagara collected a trio of gold medals while breaking a pair of records along the way on Saturday night. Freshman, Alaina Pitton broke the MAAC record in the Women’s 200 Breast earlier in the day during prelims, swimming a 2:16.74. If that wasn’t enough, she then broke her own mark in the event final, posting a record time of 2:15.56, on her way to winning MAAC Women’s Swimming Rookie of the Meet honors. Fellow Purple Eagle freshman, Mary Carl, added to her gold medal collection by winning the Women’s 200 Fly in a time of 2:03.86 for the team’s second first-place finish of the night. In the final women’s relay of the championship, the Purple Eagle’s quartet of Pitton, Megan Jackson, Claire Gorton, and Paige South set the new MAAC record in the Women’s 400 Free Relay, clocking a 3:25.88. The record breaking time broke the old record which was set by Niagara just a year ago.
| Women Final Team Standings |
| 1 |
Niagara |
697 |
| 2 |
Fairfield |
635 |
| 3 |
Marist |
598 |
| 4 |
Canisius |
332 |
| 5 |
Mount St. Mary’s |
312.5 |
| 6 |
Iona |
307 |
| 7 |
Siena |
303.5 |
| 8 |
Rider |
280 |
| 9 |
Manhattan |
113 |
| 10 |
Saint Peter’s |
69 |
| Day 4 Event Results |
| Event |
Name |
Institution |
Time/Score |
| Women’s 1650 Free |
Erin Hoyland |
Fairfield |
17:04.14 |
| Women’s 200 Back |
Nora Segurola Larrinaga |
Fairfield |
1:59.06 |
| Women’s 100 Free |
Nellie Thompson |
Marist |
50.35* |
| Women’s 200 Breast |
Alaina Pitton |
Niagara |
2:15.56* |
| Women’s 200 Fly |
Mary Carl |
Niagara |
2:03.86 |
| Women’s 400 Free Relay |
Alaina Pitton, Megan Jackson, Claire Gorton, Paige South |
Niagara |
3:25.88* |
MAAC Record*
| 2024 Major Awards |
| Award |
Honoree |
| MAAC Most Outstanding Swimmer |
Nora Segurola Larrinaga, Fairfield |
| MAAC Most Outstanding Diver |
Alexis Gaulin, Fairfield |
| MAAC Swimming Rookie of the Meet |
Alaina Pitton, Niagara |
| MAAC Diving Rookie of the Meet |
Lillian Tonole, Fairfield |
| MAAC Swimming Coach of the Year |
Jacy Dyer, Fairfield |
| MAAC Diving Coach of the Year |
Devon O’Nalty, Fairfield |
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 43rd year of competition during the 2023-24 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius University, Fairfield University, Iona University, Manhattan College, Marist College, Mount St. Mary’s University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College. Merrimack College and Sacred Heart University will join the MAAC as full members in the 2024-25 academic year, expanding the conference to 13 institutions.
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