CU Swimming & Diving Preview - at North Country Invitational (11/22-23)

Melissa Cartier

Swimming/Diving | 11/21/2024 2:22:00 PM

The season of invitational meets begins this weekend as the Clarkson University Swimming & Diving team heads across town to compete in the annual North Country Invitational, hosted by SUNY Potsdam.

The Series: Yearly challengers for the titles, the Golden Knights came up short at the NCI a year ago with the men finishing as runners-up and the women placing third out of five teams. The Knights' women are the most recent winners among the two Clarkson entrants, placing first back in 2021. Clarkson's men last won the NCI in 2019, as the Green and Gold swept the titles that year.

The Men: Only Landon Colby won an individual event for Clarkson a year ago, as he placed first in the 200 butterfly (2:04.39) on the second day of the meet. There were numerous others that came close, however. Michael Schroeder was runner-up in three events, including both backstroke races and a second-place finish to Colby in the 200 fly. Schroeder has won nine of his 15 individual races this year and is primed to take a few shots at first-place at this year's NCI. Andrew Sammons was in the top five in both the 100 and 200 breaststroke races and Gavin Stuhler was in the top five on three different occasions for the 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle, and 200 freestyle as a freshman last season. Stuhler has won five individual races in Clarkson's last three dual meets and has won six of his nine races. Casey Everett has won seven of 10 starts this year and also had two top-four finishes at last year's North Country Invitational.

The Women: Senior Gabriela McSwieney placed in the top three in three events at last November's NCI, including runner-up finishes in the 100 freestyle and 1650 freestyle. She leads Clarkson this season with seven individual victories, including five of her last seven races. Freshman Aurora Zary has stood out in her first two dual meets, winning the 100 and 200 backstroke races twice apiece. Classmate Evelyn Vieira has performed well on the diving boards, winning five of her last six events while setting individual school marks along the way. Fiona Reilly has won five of 15 individual races this year, including three different individual medley events. Natasha Hurff should also pick up key points for the Knights this weekend, as she has won three individual starts in 2024.

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