Bobcats Swimming Unfazed By Rebuild Year

There’s been a good amount of excitement surrounding the Frostburg State University (FSU) swim team with the program moving up to Division II next season, and the hiring of head coach, Bryan Christinsen. Coming into his first year at Frostburg while preparing for a move up a division, Christinsen said, “despite the changes surrounding the program, the water stays the same. It’s the same water, you can still work hard and race fast.” The Bobcats did exactly that in their season opener against Gallaudet University when men’s swim (143-90) and women’s swim (170-62) came out of the meet with a solid win. FSU took the monument from their first meet into their second meet of the season, setting a school record in the 400-meter medley relay (4:45.22). Sophomore Connor Gioffreda set a US Paralympic Record in the 200-meter IM with a 3:15.17 time. Led by senior Emily Turner, senior Maddie Weinberger, junior Elizabeth Demonte and first-year Haley Benedictis, the Bobcats spent the rest of the meet looking at the Gophers in their rear-view mirror. The Bobcats dominated Goucher College 165-81 in the men’s competition and 173-86 in the women’s competition.

FSU’s men’s and women’s swim sandwiched the meet with relay wins from both, to start and end the meet against Goucher.

The men’s 400-meter medley team with first-year Cameron Edwards, sophomore Anthony Giuseppetti, sophomore Brady Peterson, and first-year Luke Russell also took home the relay crown. The Bobcats finished the race at the 4:27.27 mark.

Among those receiving hardware for the men’s team was first-year Adam Stein, who took home the 400 & 800 meter freestyle (4:42.18) and (9:40.32). Luke Holloway swept the 100-meter breaststroke (1:13.24) and the 200-meter freestyle (2:08.02), with Brady Peterson also taking home two wins in the 50 (28.42) and 100-meter butterfly (1:04.33). Junior Hunter McFalls collected a win in the 50-meter backstroke (31.50).

First-year Luke Russell came out on top in both the 50 (25.87) and 100-meter freestyle (1:01.27), adding to the 400 medley relay win the men’s team took earlier in the afternoon, along with the 400-meter freestyle relay win by Giuseppetti, Russell, Peterson and Holloway to close out the meet at 3:57.20.

Sophomore Anthony Giuseppetti also took home the 100-meter backstroke (1:23.83).

Regarding the women’s team, seniors Turner and Weinberger highlighted a strong evening with a pair of single wins for both ladies. Emily Turner: 50-meter backstroke(27.84) 100-meter backstrokes (1:14.09), Maddie Weinberger: 50-meter breaststroke (35.36) 200-meter IM (2:39.17). Becca Marsh: 800-meter freestyle (10:25.85), Aubree Morris: 100-meter butterfly (1:12.46) Elizabeth Demonte: 50-meter freestyle (28.38).

Rebecca Proctor: 100-meter freestyle Haley Benedictis: 100-meter breaststroke in 1:23.83.

Turner, Weinberger, Benedictis and Morris finished out the Gophers posting a 4.30.69 time in the 400-meter freestyle.

The Bobcats will hit the road for the first time this season when they square off against Mary Washington at 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 26.