GENEVA, OH (Feb. 15, 2025) – The Niagara University Purple Eagles won the 2025 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Men’s Swimming & Diving Championship on Saturday night at SPIRE Academy in Geneva, Ohio. The Purple Eagles scored 653.5 points, edging out Marist University by 32 points. The title for Niagara ended the program’s 31-year championship drought, having last won the league crown in 1994.
The Purple Eagles, which took over the lead on day two of the championship, lost the lead twice on the final day, before sealing the team title after the final individual race of the night. The championship is the second in team history, with the 1994 trophy being the only other time Niagara has won the team title. Niagara had two individual champions on the final night. Nathan Dragon came in first place in the 100 Freestyle, winning with a time of 43.73. For the second straight year, Sean Finley won the 200 Breaststroke, winning this year in a time of 1:58.10. Additionally, with Niagara also winning the 2025 Women’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.
Three other individual winners on the night were headlined by Michael Faughnan from Iona University, taking gold and breaking his own MAAC Championship record in the 200 Backstroke with a time of 1:41.64. Also claiming first place was Marist University’s James Conable, winning the 1650 Freestyle in 15:44.13. In the 200 Butterfly, Christopher Weber of Fairfield University took gold in 1:46.89.
Lastly, the Iona quartet of Kieran Egan, Nate Wales, Liam Pyatt, and Michael Faughnan won the 400 Freestyle Relay in a MAAC Championship record time of 2:56.98.
| 2025 Men’s Final Team Standings |
| 1 |
Niagara |
653.5 |
| 2 |
Marist |
621.5 |
| 3 |
Fairfield |
615.5 |
| 4 |
Iona |
512.5 |
| 5 |
Rider |
396.5 |
| 6 |
Mount St. Mary’s |
285.5 |
| 7 |
Canisius |
205 |
| 8 |
Saint Peter’s |
140 |
| 9 |
Manhattan |
113 |
| Day 4 Event Results |
| Event |
Name |
Institution |
Time/Score |
| Men's 1650 Free |
James Conable |
Marist |
15:44.13 |
| Men’s 200 Back |
Michael Faughnan |
Iona |
1:41.64* |
| Men's 100 Free |
Nathan Dragon |
Niagara |
43.73 |
| Men’s 200 Breast |
Sean Finley |
Niagara |
1:58.10 |
| Men’s 200 Fly |
Christopher Weber |
Fairfield |
1:46.89 |
| Men's 400 Free Relay |
Kieran Egan, Nate Wales, Liam Pyatt, Michael Faughnan |
Iona |
2:56.98* |
MAAC Championship Record*
| 2025 Major Awards |
| Award |
Honoree |
| MAAC Most Outstanding Swimmer |
Michael Faughnan, Iona |
| MAAC Most Outstanding Diver |
Stavros Xantheas, Rider |
| MAAC Swimming Rookie of the Meet |
Lance Cruz, Niagara |
| MAAC Diving Rookie of the Meet |
Steven Figueroa, Rider |
| 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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