GENEVA, OH (Feb. 15, 2025) – The Niagara University Purple Eagles clinched its second straight Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Women’s Swimming & Diving Championship on Saturday night at SPIRE Academy in Geneva, Ohio. The Purple Eagles scored 766 points over the championship’s four days, 169 more than runner-up Fairfield University, en route to the program’s third overall MAAC crown. Niagara has won all three of its MAAC Women’s Swimming & Diving titles over the past four years, winning in 2022, 2024, and 2025.
Following a first place tie with Fairfield after the opening night, the Purple Eagles never relinquished the lead the rest of the way. On the final night of action, Niagara extended its lead by collecting four more individual gold medals to its team total. Freshman Marty Divis secured the first title, earning gold in the 1650 Freestyle, in a time of 16:50.35. Next, Natalie Killion continued her tare at the championship, breaking her third individual MAAC Championship record of the meet, this time doing so in the 200 Backstroke (1:55.90). Following Killion’s performance, Claire Gorton came in first place in the 100 Freestyle, touching the wall in 50.97. The final medal would be a repeat of last year, coming by way of a record-breaking swim by Alaina Pitton, who won the 200 Breaststroke in 2:14.42, breaking her record that she set in the prelims. Of the 20 events during the four-day championship, Niagara took gold in 12 of them and set MAAC Championship records in six total events – four individual and two relays. Additionally, with Niagara also winning the 2025 Men’s Swimming & Diving team title, the Purple Eagles became the fifth program in league history to sweep both team titles, the first to complete the feat since Marist in 2008.
Other gold medalist on the final night of the championships included Siena College’s Hope Ivanovich, who won the 200 Butterfly with a time of 2:01.80. In the 1-Meter Dive, Sinclair Yadao from Sacred Heart University scored a 255.15 to take first place. Lastly, Mount St. Mary’s University 400 Freestyle Relay team of Meghan Speicher, Theodora Kanellopoulou, Carmen Del Aguila Martin, and Christine Lazari set the MAAC Championship record with a finishing time of 3:24.66.
| 2025 Women’s Final Team Standings |
| 1 |
Niagara |
766 |
| 2 |
Fairfield |
597 |
| 3 |
Marist |
511 |
| 4 |
Sacred Heart |
406 |
| 5 |
Mount St. Mary’s |
334 |
| 6 |
Iona |
295 |
| 7 |
Canisius |
259 |
| 8 |
Siena |
208 |
| 9 |
Rider |
202 |
| 10 |
Merrimack |
71 |
| T11 |
Manhattan |
63 |
| T11 |
Saint Peter’s |
63 |
| Day 4 Event Results |
| Event |
Name |
Institution |
Time/Score |
| Women’s 1650 Free |
Marty Divis |
Niagara |
16:50.35 |
| Women’s 200 Back |
Natalie Killion |
Niagara |
1:55.90* |
| Women’s 100 Free |
Claire Gorton |
Niagara |
50.97 |
| Women’s 200 Breast |
Alaina Pitton |
Niagara |
2:14.42* |
| Women’s 200 Fly |
Hope Ivanovich |
Siena |
2:01.80 |
| Women's 1-Meter Dive |
Sinclair Yadao |
Sacred Heart |
255.15 |
| Women’s 400 Free Relay |
Meghan Speicher, Theodora Kanellopoulou, Carmen Del Aguila Martin, Christine Lazari |
Mount St. Mary’s |
3:24.66* |
MAAC Championship Record*
| 2025 Major Awards |
| Award |
Honoree |
| MAAC Most Outstanding Swimmer |
Natalie Killion, Niagara |
| MAAC Most Outstanding Diver |
Sinclair Yadao, Sacred Heart |
| MAAC Swimming Rookie of the Meet |
Daphne Mead, Canisius
Martina Divis, Niagara |
| MAAC Diving Rookie of the Meet |
Sinclair Yadao, Sacred Heart |
| MAAC Swimming Coach of the Year |
Eric Bugby, Niagara |
| MAAC Diving Coach of the Year |
Adam Vance, Sacred Heart |
For all information regarding the 2025 MAAC Men's & Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships, please visit
maacsports.com/swim.
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 13 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 44th year of competition during the 2024-25 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius University, Fairfield University, Iona University, Manhattan University, Marist University, Merrimack College, Mount St. Mary’s University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Sacred Heart University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.
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