KINGS POINT, N.Y., Feb. 29, 2016 – This past week was a great week for our Athletic program here at USMMA! Both the Swimming & Diving and Wrestling programs had a team member qualify for the NCAA Championships, our Men’s Lacrosse team defeated arch-rival Coast Guard, two student-athletes earned ECAC weekly praise, Swim & Dive Coach Sean Tedesco was honored by the ASCA and the 2016 baseball schedule was revealed.

Diving Coach Johan Lopez took three Mariner divers up to Wellesley College on Friday and Saturday to take part in the NCAA Diving Regionals. Senior Gerrit Porter (Houston, Texas) finished in first place in the one-meter dive competition and second place in the three-meter dive to qualify for the NCAA National Championship Meet. Junior Blythe Fentress (Shady Shores, Texas) and sophomore Adam Fisher (Edgerton, Wisc.) also took part in the Regionals, as it was the first time in their careers qualifying for the regional event.

In wrestling action, the Mariners travelled to Lexington, Va., to take part in the NCAA East Regional Meet hosted by Washington and Lee University. The squad finished in seventh place overall out of the 18 teams competing and had one wrestler, senior Ricky Fisher (Nashville, Tenn.), qualify for the NCAA National Championship Meet with a second place finish in the 197-pound bracket, while five other Mariners placed in the top-six and senior Mike Maye (Pearl River, N.Y.) and junior Nathan Twito (Ames, Iowa) both were named second alternates for the NCAA Championships in the 165-pound and 149-pound weight classes, respectively, after their fifth place finishes.

The men’s lacrosse team opened the 2016 season on the road at arch-rival Coast Guard and defeated the Bears by the final score of 16-13. Sophomore Pat Coll (Clifton Park, N.Y.) led the way for the Mariners as he matched his career-high with eight points on seven goals and one assist.

The ECAC announced on Wednesday that junior diver Blythe Fentress was named the DIII Metro Women’s Diver of the Week and freshman Matheus Macedo (Elk Grove, Calif.) earned DIII Metro Men’s Rookie of the Week after their performances at the 2016 Metropolitan Championships last weekend.

On Thursday, men’s and women’s swim & dive head coach Sean Tedesco earned American Swimming Coaches Association (ASCA) recognition as a Coach of Excellence for the 2015 calendar year. This was the fourth-straight year and sixth time overall that Coach Tedesco has earned this accolade.

Lastly, the baseball team released its schedule for the upcoming 2016 season on Wednesday. The Mariners open the 38-game slate next Sunday, March 6, with a doubleheader against arch-rival Coast Guard down in Fort Myers, Fla.

By Joe Guster