February is a busy time of the year for the MAAC Championships, but Marist had some exciting headlines throughout the shortest month of the year. Read a recap of Marist performances in the MAAC Swimming and Diving championships.
James Conable breaks MAAC Record for 200-meter Individual Medley, Tallies Three Gold Medals
Among the dominant performances from the Red Foxes swimming and diving team, none surpassed the feats of senior James Conable, who broke the MAAC conference record in the 200-meter individual medley on Feb. 13 with a time of 1:46.22.
Conable was one of 12 male swimmers to break records during the championships held at SPIRE Academy in Geneva, Ohio. Throughout the four-day event, Conable collected three gold medals, including his dominant performance in the 200-meter which he lost last year in the 2024 championships (finished 2nd with a time of 1:47.96).
Becoming a back-to-back champion in the 400-meter individual medley on day three, Conable took home the gold in the 1650-meter freestyle on day four (15:44.13), beating out teammate sophomore Jack LaBianca (15:53.66), who received the silver.
Conable ends his senior year at Marist amassing five total gold medals in the MAAC Championships throughout his career.
Men’s Swim and Dive Team Captures Second Place, Fall Short Of Niagara
Despite capturing a title in 2024 and several strong performances in Geneva (621.5 points), Niagara men’s swim and dive (653.5 points) won the 2025 MAAC title, the program’s first swimming title in 30 years.
With the runner-up position, Marist men’s swim and dive amassed 11 medals, including:
- Ethan Gibbs, Bronze, One-meter Dive (250.65 score)
- Adam Zaremba, Bronze, 500-yard Freestyle (4:28.13)
- James Conable, Gold, 200-yard IM (1:46.42, MAAC Record, Marist Record)
- Kellen Fletcher, Bronze, 100-yard Butterfly (47.95)
- James Conable, Gold, 400-yard IM (3:50.33, MAAC Record)
- Ethan Gibbs, Bronze, Three-meter Dive (269.25 score)
- Hunter Emerson, Bronze, 400-yard IM (3:55.68)
- James Conable, Gold, 1650-yard Freestyle (15:44.41)
- Quinn Smith, Bronze, 200-yard Backstroke (1:46.51)
- Kellen Fletcher, Silver, 200-yard Butterfly (1:48.40, Marist Record)
- Jack LaBianca, Silver, 1650-yard Freestyle (15:53.66)
Women’s Swimming and Diving Lock Up Third Place, Avila and Kolbeinsdottir Secure Multiple Medals in Geneva
With a third-place finish in the MAAC Tournament, Marist had two Red Foxes from the women’s swim and dive team who contributed heavily to the point total: graduate student Eydis Kolbeinsdottir and sophomore April Avila.
Specializing in freestyle events, Kolbeinsdottir won silver in the 50-yard freestyle (23.46, Marist Record) and the 100-yard freestyle (51.33). She also earned silver in the 100-yard butterfly (56.13), totaling three medals throughout the tournament.
Breaststroke specialist Avila also received two medals: a silver in the 200-yard breaststroke (2:15.97) and the 100-meter breaststroke (1:02.35). Rounding out the medal total, junior Charlotte Lepis earned the bronze in the 1650-yard freestyle with a time of 17:13.32.
“Once again our distance crew led the way on both sides, setting several life bests with James [Conable] bringing home another MAAC Championship,” said head coach Anthony Randall in a Marist Athletics press release.
“Momentum carried on to the 200 Back with Quinn [Smith’s] Bronze medal,” he continued. “We got a big boost from our sprinters in the 100 free, many of them moving up. Our breaststrokers held pace with April [Avila] and Dylan [Magda] setting two school records, one a mere seconds old. Not to be outdone, our 200 Fliers were up next with Sabrina [Conrad] and Kellen [Fletcher] both setting two new records.”
“With the relays up next, our Women finished with a top 5 time in school history while the men did what they needed to secure our runner-up finish,” Randall concluded in the press release.
Edited by Ben Leeds
Graphic From Dan Aulbach, Photo From Marist Athletics
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