Posted: Dec 04, 2016

Swimming Finds Success At GNAC Championships

BOSTON, Mass. – The Elms College men's and women's swimming team competed at the 2016 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Championships, hosted by Simmons College, over the weekend.

For the men's team, senior Ryan Burgos (Plaistow, N.H.) set a new GNAC record in the 500 yard freestyle with a time of 5:02.17, along with a first-place finish in the 200 yard breaststroke (2:23.92), while adding a second-place finish in the 200 yard breaststroke (2:33.82) and third in the 200 yard backstroke (2:08.35). Sophomore Michael Grippo (East Longmeadow, Mass.) claimed second in the 50 yard backstroke (27.70), while setting a new school record in the 100 yard backstroke with a time of 57.03. Senior Nick Cirillo (Gloversville, N.Y.) posted a pair of second-place finishes in the 200 yard freestyle (1:53.81) and the 500 yard freestyle (5:05.55). Freshman Paul Ferraro (Walpole, Mass.) took second in the 1000 yard freestyle (12:41.99), while junior Nick Bergstrom (Derry, N.H.) grabbed sixth in the 50 yard freestyle (23.32) and the 50 yard breaststroke (31.82). Freshman Joshua Guntly (Chicopee, Mass.) placed sixth in the 100 yard backstroke (1:09.08), and sophomore Patrick Gay (East Hartford, Conn.) finished seventh in the 200 yard butterfly (2:49.23). Sophomore Joseph Sutton (Suffield, Conn.) was ninth in the 50 yard backstroke (39.05) and junior Tony Luciani (Agawam, Mass.) took 23^rd in the 100 yard freestyle (1:02.18). In the 800 yard freestyle relay, the team of Bergstrom, Cirillo, Burgos, and Grippo placed first with a time of 7:36.38, and placed third in the 200 yard freestyle relay with a time of 1:32.64.

Burgos earned All-GNAC Invitational Team honors in the 200 yard freestyle and the 500 yard freestyle, along with the 800 meter freestyle relay team.

On the women's side, freshman Kelly Scianna (Milford, Conn.) claimed fourth place in the 400 yard individual medley with a time of 5:27.22. Senior Kelly O'Connell (Monson, Mass.) took eighth in the 200 yard butterfly (3:18.77), while freshman Natalie Obando (Chicopee, Mass.) placed eighth in the 50 yard backstroke (33.08). Sophomore Desiree Milar (Springfield, Mass.) was tenth in the 200 yard breaststroke (3:02.26), and senior Rebecca Carterud (South Windsor, Conn.) was 13^th in the 400 yard IM (1:03.57). Junior Aislinn Carrier (Charlestown, Mass.) took 18^th in the 100 yard freestyle (1:03.57), while freshman Julianne Gordon (Plaistow, N.H.) logged a pair of 23^rd-place finishes in the 50 yard backstroke (39.06) and the 100 yard freestyle (1:06.66). Sophomore Amanda Rotberg (Rowley, Mass.) was 22^nd in the 50 yard backstroke (38.69), and sophomore Jacqueline Given (Arlington, Mass.) placed 25^th in the 50 yard backstroke (39.55).