PURCHASE, N.Y. (Jan. 28 2017) – The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) men's and women's swimming & diving teams both won the 2017 Skyline Conference Championship after the two-day event hosted by Purchase College concluded on Saturday. It marked the men's 19th-straight conference title (the last 16 under Head Coach Sean Tedesco) and the women's first since 2005, which was the last championship for any women's program at the Academy.
 
Plebe Nolan Monahan (Stafford, Va.) was named the Skyline Swimmer and Rookie of the Year at the conclusion of the event. He had five victories over the two days – three individual and two as part of a relay team. He set one individual Skyline meet record and two relay Skyline records.
 
Monahan won the 200 freestyle in 1:46.13 (which set a new conference meet record), the 50 free (22.13) and the 100 free (47.62). He was a part of the 200 medley relay with Third Classman Christopher Kahl (Solomons, Md.), First Classman Karl Sasse (Frederick, Md.) and Plebe Caelin Weaver (Olive Branch, Miss.) that broke the Skyline record with a win in 1:36.19, and he partnered with Weaver, Plebe Michael Moore (Los Alamos, N.M.) and Sasse to win the 400 free relay in a new Skyline-best 3:15.55.
 
USMMA won all 14 events at the championships and set a total of nine new Skyline Conference Championship Meet records. Kahl won three individual events – the 100 backstroke (53.22), the 200 back (1:53.51 – a new Skyline record) and the 200 individual medley (1:58.62 – a new Skyline record).
 
Sasse won two individual events – the 100 breaststroke (58.56) and the 200 breast (2:10.46), both new Skyline meet records. Weaver also won two individual events – the 200 butterfly (2:00.56) and the 100 fly (53.85).
 
Rounding out the Mariner winners were First Classman Kevin Sweetman (Austin, Texas) in the 1000 free (9:55.91 – a new Skyline record) and Moore in the 500 free (4:50.10 – a new Skyline record).
 
On the women's side, the Mariners won a total of five races. Junior Hallie Breidenthal (Overland Park, Kan.) had her hand in all of them, as she led the squad with five wins. She set two individual meet records and was a part of the two USMMA relay teams that set meet records.
 
Individually, Breidenthal won the 50 free (25.25), the 100 free (55.32 – new Skyline record) and the 100 butterfly (1:01.01 – new Skyline record).
 
She was a part of the 200 medley relay with Plebe Erica Lou (Flushing, N.Y.), First Classman Jolyn Green (Riverside, Calif.) and thisrd Classman Ella Sherrill (Ketchikan, Alaska) that set a new Skyline mark with a win in 1:51.61. Briedenthal also partnered with Sherrill,Plebe Meika Gathy (Waterford, Conn.) and Lou in the 400 free relay to win in a new Skyline-best 3:42.31.
 
The Mariners return to action next Saturday, Feb. 4, when they host non-conference Rowan University in a dual meet beginning at 1 p.m. at the O'Hara Hall Pool. Prior to the first race, the swimming & diving programs will pay tribute to their graduating seniors with a special Senior Day ceremony.