June 3, 2002
Men's Team Earns Quantum Leap Award
The Stony Brook men's team improved both overall and individually this season, finishing with a 7-4 record after last year's finish of 3-8.
The Seawolves won four of their final five dual meets and capped off the year by setting two new school records and finishing third at the America East Championships.
Men's Team Third
In their first season of America East competition, the men's team placed thid at the conference championships. The Seawolves set new school marks in the the 400 medley and the 100 breaststroke. Stony Brook saw its 200 freestyle relay team--Vasiliy Rodin, Ted Freeborn, Dan Berzansky and Roger Pugh--capture a victory at the Championships, while Igor Voloshin placed among the top three finishers in three events.
Not only that, the Seawolves had two divers--Peter O'Donoghue and Andrew Yalcin--place among the top seven in the three-meter competition.
Women's Team Finishes Strong
The Seawolves set three new school records en route to a sixth-place finish at the America East Championships in their first season of competition in the conference.
The women's 400 medley relay--Jessica Claud, Alison Porteus, Michelle Miller and Starlyn Rupinski--placed fourth with a new school-record time of 4:04.32.
The same team also raced in the 200 medley relay, recording a school-best time of 1:53.07 for fifth place.
Rupinski, Miller, Porteus and Starlyn Rupinski swam the 800 free relay in 8:12.23, the best time in Seawolves history. That team finished sixth.
Byrnes, Schubert Make History
Junior Kristi Schubert and sophomore Erin Byrnes became the first divers in Stony Brook's short Division I history to qualify for nationals this season.
Schubert was the first to accomplish the feat, qualifying on 10 dives on the one-meter board against Fairfield on Feb. 2. Byrnes qualified in six dives against Sacred Heart on Feb. 5.
At the NCAA Regional Diving Championships at the U.S. Naval Academy in March, Schubert finished with 165.45 points on the one-meter, while Byrnes posted a score of 133.50.
Newcomers Lead the Way
The 2001-02 Seawolves had a young roster, but those newcomers proved to make a huge impact and provide a positive glimpse into the future.
Jessica Claud, Michelle Miller, Alison Porteus, Laura Zuffante, Dan Berzansky, Ted Freeborn, Peter O'Donoghue and Roger Pugh were among the new faces who played key roles for the Seawolves this year.
It's Miller Time
Michelle Miller was one of the Seawolves' best individual performers, showing versatility in posting victories in the 100 fly, 400 free, 200 fly and 50 free during the year. She also swam on the 200 and 400 medley relay and 800 free relay teams that set new school records.
Pouring It On
Alison Porteus got off to a blistering start, setting five school records in the Seawolves' first four meets. Porteus set a new mark in the 200 breaststroke in the season opener against Army, then improved her time in two more performances. She also set the school record in the 100 breast and helped the 400 medley relay team break its own school record at the America East Championships. Throughout the year, she posted victories in the 100 and 200 breaststroke and the 200 individual medley. Her fifth-place finish in the 100 breaststroke at the America East Championships led the team.
Freeborn To Win
Ted Freeborn was a key freestyle swimmer in both individual and relay events. A consistent winner in both the 100 and 200 free throughout the year, he also swam on the 200 free relay team that won the event at the America East Championships. He placed third in the 100 free at the Championships and helped the 400 medley relay finish third in a school-record time.
Seawolves Say Goodbye
Tim Larkin and Igor Voloshin closed out their careers this season as two of the most successful swimmers in Stony Brook history.
Larkin, who helped Stony Brook make the transition to Division I, was the MET Most Outstanding Swimmer and team MVP as a freshman. This season, he dominated the 500 and 1000 freestyle events, winning both on several occasions. At the America East Championships, he placed third in the 1650 free and fourth in the 500 free.
As for Voloshin, the four-year letterwinner has been a consistent and valuable performer throughout his career, especially in the breaststroke events. Voloshin owns the school record in the 200 breast and held the record in the 100 breast up until this season. This season, he continued to own the breastroke and also became a consistent winner in the 200 IM. He also swam on the 200 and 400 medley relay teams that set new school records.
