FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield University swimming and diving teams had yet another strong season with 23 total student-athletes posting Top 10 times in the Fairfield record book. Three swimmers, all of them freshmen, also set program records during the season.
The first record to fall was the 1500m freestyle on January 14 when Phillip Zyskowski posted a time of 17:02.47 to beat out teammate Jameson Duncan's record of 17:04.95 that stood for two years.
Two days later, Colleen Young swam the 200m breaststroke in 2:43.25, just a half second faster than Lauren Kennedy's record of 2:43.84 that was set in November of 2009.
At the MAAC Championships, Griffin Burke set the school record in the 200y backstroke with a time of 1:55.04. The freshman broke the previous record of 1:55.05 held by Paul Bimmler who set the record back in February of 2012.
Looking at the women's side, 12 student-athletes posted Top 10 times throughout the season in 10 different events. Leading the way was Emily Vlass who recorded four such times and Colleen Young who recorded three. Vlass owns the sixth fastest time in the 100 breaststroke (1:08.35), fourth fastest in the 200 breaststroke (2:25.88), 10th fastest in the 200 IM (2:14.92), and fourth fastest in the 400 IM (4:40.72).
In addition to Young's 200m breaststroke record, the freshman has the second fastest time in the 100y breaststroke (1:06.67), second fastest in the 200y breaststroke (2:25.38), and fourth fastest time in the 200y IM (2:10.08).
On the men's side, the team had 11 student-athletes post Top 10 times in 11 different events. Senior Andrew Tavcar and freshmen Phillip Zyskowski, Jordan Rahurahu, and Griffin Burke all recorded three such times to put their names in the Fairfield record book.
Tavcar, the senior, graduates with the seventh fastest time in the 50 freestyle (21.69), the eighth fastest time in the 100 freestyle (47.86), and the fifth fastest time in the 100 breaststroke (59.48).
Zyskowski set the record in the 1500m freestyle, but also holds the fifth fastest time in the 500y freestyle (4:45.46), second fastest time in the 1000y freestyle (9:39.78), and fifth fastest time in the 1650y freestyle (16:36.40).
Rahurahu had an impressive rookie campaign and sits with the second fastest time in the 200 butterfly (1:55.86), second fastest time in the 200 IM (1:55.67), and third fastest time in the 400 IM (4:07.86).
Burke improved as the season progressed, eventually breaking the 200y backstroke school record at the MAAC Championships. The freshman also owns the seventh fastest time in the 200 IM (1:59.54) and the fifth fastest time in the 400 IM (4:12.34).
Two divers also posted Top 10 scores on the season. First year Stag Kylie More scored 221.10 in the 1-meter at Wesleyan for the seventh highest score in Fairfield history. Jane Rice scored the fifth best score in the 1-meter with a 234.22 against Holy Cross in October.
The Stags' young performers will only get better in the offseason in preparation for another season in the pool.
