Meet The Instructors
Chris Capparis
Year: Class of 2019
Hometown: Chatham, NJ
Favorite stroke/event: 500 Freestyle
Number of years competitively swimming/diving: 5
Hobbies/interests: Surfing, Skiing, Traveling
Why you chose Fairfield swimming & diving: team atmosphere and to meet new friends
Oreoluwa Cherebin
Year: Class of 2019
Hometown: St.George, Grenada W.I
Favorite stroke: Breaststroke/Butterfly
Number of years competitively swimming/diving: 10
Hobbies/interests: Reading, listening to music
Why you chose Fairfield swimming & diving: I chose Fairfield because it was the best fit in terms of academics and swimming. Plus the people at Fairfield were all so kind.
Kelly Cordes
Year: Class of 2019
Hometown: Glenview, IL
Favorite stroke/event: Freestyle
Number of years competitively swimming/diving: 13
Hobbies/interests: Traveling, hiking, yoga
Why you chose Fairfield swimming & diving: To continue my swimming career as well as being able to meet new friends
Jameson Duncan
Year: Class of 2018
Hometown: Stamford, Conn.
Favorite stroke/event: 200 backstroke
Number of years competitively Swimming/Diving: 11 years
Hobbies/Interests: basketball, football, baseball, watching Suits, and church volunteering
Why you chose Fairfield Swimming & Diving: Because I felt like the coach would push me to be better and the team would be a great way to meet new people.
Edmund Falcigno
Year: Class of 2019
Hometown: Branford, CT
Favorite stroke/event: Backstroke and Freestyle
Number of years competitively swimming/diving: 14 years
Hobbies/interests: Enjoy watching sports
Why you chose Fairfield swimming & diving: I chose to swim for Fairfield University because of their excellent business school as well as the opportunity to swim at the Division I level.
Grace Goddard
Year: Class of 2019
Hometown: Salt Lake City, Utah
Favorite stroke: 100/200 Butterfly
Number of years competitively swimming/diving: 10
Hobbies/interests: I like swimming, hiking and politics
Why you chose Fairfield swimming & diving: I chose Fairfield because of the amazing coach we have, and the great atmosphere.
Evan Gorman
Year: Class of 2019
Hometown: Ramsey New Jersey
My favorite stroke/event: Butterfly
Number of years competitively swimming/diving: 8
Hobbies: working out, golfing, and spending time with my friends!
Why you chose Fairfield swimming & diving: I chose Fairfield because there were lots of cool people on the team
Collin Hayes
Year: Class of 2018
Hometown: Northport, N.Y.
Favorite stroke/event: 50 free
Number of years competitively Swimming/Diving: 5 years
Hobbies/Interests: Golfing, spending time with family/friends
Why you chose Fairfield Swimming & Diving: I chose Fairfield swimming because it seemed like the best fit for me with my intended major.
Emily Holman
Year: Class of 2020
Hometown: Portland, Oregon
Favorite stroke/event: Backstroke
Number of years competitively swimming/diving: 8
Hobbies/interests: hiking, tennis
Why you chose Fairfield swimming & diving: I wanted to continue swimming at a collegiate level
Kristin Kunnapas
Year: Class of 2020
Hometown: Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey
Favorite stroke/event: Backstroke
Number of years competitively swimming/diving: 13 years
Hobbies/interests: Running, soccer, hanging out with friends
Why you chose Fairfield swimming & diving: Because of the atmosphere of the team
Kyle Lally
Year: Class of 2018
Hometown: New Milford, N.J.
Favorite stroke/event: Backstroke
Number of years competitively Swimming/Diving:
Hobbies/Interests:
Why you chose Fairfield Swimming & Diving:
Donna Lam
Hometown: Mahopac, NY
Year: Class of 2019
Favorite stroke: freestyle/ butterfly
Number of years Competitively Swimming/Diving: 8
Hobbies: yoga, hiking, hanging with friends, dancing
Why I joined: Fairfield is great for me because the academics and athletics fit me very well. And I know I would have a wonderful experience!
Christine McCabe
Year: Class of 2018
Hometown: Mansfield, MA
Favorite stroke/event: Diving
Number of years competitively swimming/diving: 1
Hobbies/interests: spending time with friends, travel, rollerblading
Why you chose Fairfield swimming & diving: To get more involved, meet people, and be part of a great school and nursing program
Shannon McDade
Year: Class of 2020
Hometown: Manalapan, NJ
Favorite stroke/event: 100 Butterfly
Number of years competitively swimming/diving: 9
Hobbies/interests: Going to the beach, Lifeguarding, making smoothies
Why you chose Fairfield swimming & diving: I chose Fairfield because of the warm and inviting environment and to continue my swimming career with an awesome team.
Harrison McGovern
Year: Class of 2020
Hometown: Seattle, WA
Favorite stroke/event: Breast stroke and freestyle, 50 and 100 free
Number of years swimming competitively: 6
Hobbies/interest: Love music, movies and reading
Why I chose Fairfield Swimming: The coach as well as the ability to be apart of a growing program
Alec Melotto
Year: Class of 2019
Hometown: Orange, CT
Favorite Stroke/Event: Breaststroke
Number of Years Competitively Swimming/Diving: 13 Years Swimming
Hobbies/Interests: Boating and Golfing
Why did you choose Fairfield Swimming and Diving: I chose to swim at Fairfield University because it was a very good fit for me academically and athletically. Also, the Jesuit values that the university revolves around appealed to me during my college search.
Pat Orkins
Year: Class of 2017
Hometown: Wethersfield, Conn.
Favorite stroke/event: Favorite event is the 500 free
Number of years competitively Swimming/Diving: Swimming competitively for 10 years
Hobbies/Interests: Running, reading and going to Cape Cod
Why you chose Fairfield Swimming & Diving: Because of how welcoming the whole team was to recruits
Daniel Pires
Year: Class of 2017
Hometown: Chelmsford, Mass.
Favorite stroke/event: Diving
Number of years competitively Swimming/Diving: 6 years diving
Hobbies/Interests: I like eating and exercising
Why you chose Fairfield Swimming & Diving: I chose Fairfield because of the great mix between academics and athletics
Alex Shabecoff
Year: Class of 2019
Hometown: Greenwich, CT
Favorite stroke/event: Diving
Number of years competitively swimming/diving: 10
Hobbies/interests: Sailing, Skiing and tennis
Why you chose Fairfield swimming & diving: I liked coach Dan when I met him and the diving team seems like a great group of people.
Michael Sparks
Year: Class of 2020
Hometown: Centerville, Ohio
Favorite event: 1000 freestyle
Years swimming: 11
Hobbies: running, competing in triathlons, and traveling
Why you chose Fairfield swimming & diving: I chose Fairfield for its great academics and the close environment the team has.
Andrew Tavcar
Year: Class of 2017
Hometown: Queens, N.Y.
Favorite stroke/event: Freestyle, 100 and 200 free
Number of years competitively Swimming/Diving: Swimming for 5 years
Hobbies/Interests: Reading
Why you chose Fairfield Swimming & Diving: Fairfield because it had a great swim program and the team wasn't too big. I got to know everyone while going to a great academic school
Meghan Guinee
Year: Class of 2017
Hometown: Berkeley Heights, N.J.
Favorite stroke/event: Breaststroke
Number of years competitively Swimming/Diving: 13
Hobbies/Interests: Reading, shopping, and puppies!
Why you chose Fairfield Swimming & Diving: The team was extremely welcoming and I couldn't pass up the chance to continue swimming in college.
Leah Pawelczyk
Year: Class of 2017
Hometown: Berlin, Connecticut
Favorite stroke/event: Diving
Number of years competitively swimming/diving: 10
Hobbies/interests: Beach, running, crafting, traveling, volunteering!
Why you chose Fairfield swimming & diving: I chose Fairfield Swimming and Diving because it was simply everything I was looking for in a team. Even from just visiting I could tell the people on the team were people I would want to surround myself with throughout my college career. This team is something that requires dedication, commitment and a lot of hard work, yet academics are still the main priority. Fairfield Swimming and Diving is the perfect balance of having fun, succeeding, and working hard.
Emily Vlass
Year: Class of 2019
Hometown: Summit, NJ
Favorite stroke: Breaststroke
Number of years swimming: 13 years
Hobbies: Shopping, reading
Why I chose Fairfield: Fairfield was the perfect fit both academically and athletically, and the team was so welcoming
Katia Young
Year: Class of 2020
Hometown: Irvine, CA
Favorite stroke/event: Butterfly and Freestyle
Number of years competitively swimming/diving: 8 years
Hobbies/interests: paddle boarding and eating
Why you chose Fairfield swimming & diving: The campus felt like home and the team was so welcoming they already felt like a second family after a day. Plus Janelle is an amazing swimmer and coach who is working hard on building a great team.
