Utica, NY (10-23-13) – The Utica College men's and women's swim and dive teams open up their 2013-2014 campaign Saturday at Hartwick College in Oneonta, NY ... The competition will take place at Moyer pool in the Binder Physical Education Center and is set to start at 9 a.m.

Last Year's Campaign

The women finished last season with a 1-10 overall record losing three early season matches by a combined 36 points and placed 15th scoring 138 points at the 2013 UNYSCSA/Empire 8 Championships… The men had one of their best seasons in the last five years as they posted the most wins since back in 2007-08 season … UC finished with a 3-7 overall mark beating Cazenovia twice and Wells once … The men fought hard on day of the championships and were 13th however finished 14th recording 160 points at the state/conference championships.

UC Women Returns Seven

The Utica College women's team heads into the season with 11 on its roster including seven members from last year's squad … Fifth-year Head Coach Erin Massoud will look to her four upperclassmen including senior's Evelyn Kurzac (Mundelein, IL/Mundelein Cons) and Angeliqua Jones (Monroe, NY /Washingtonville ) along with juniors Amy Dumary (Ballston Spa, NY/Ballston Spa) and Gwyn Joyce (Walden, NY/Valley Central) to step up and lead the way this season … Kurzac and Dumary compete in the butterfly while Dumary also swims the individual medley with Joyce … Jones leads the diving squad on the one-meter board.

Mannarino & Junior Class to Lead the Men

The UC men's swim and dive teams are coming off their best season in over five years … The squads three wins last season marked the most since the 2007-08 season … The men also have 11 on its roster including seven returners as well … Senior Josh Mannarino and five juniors including Kaleb Bright, Anthony Farber, Colin Hart, Tyler Hickey and Omar Renta will make up the upper class … Mannarino swims the freestyle and medley while Bright and Farber compete in the butterfly … Farber also treads the breaststroke … Hart, Hickey and Renta make the dive squad.

Scouting the Hawks

The Hawk men's and women's swim and dive teams opened up action on Oct. 19th as they hosted the 8th annual Hartwick Relays and placed first out of five teams at the Moyer Pool … The men's team totaled 130 points which was 18 points better than second place Oneonta State while the women's team had a total of 118 points which was 10 points ahead of Oneonta State … Hartwick set four meet records on the afternoon including one men's and three women's.

Back in the Pool

Following the season opener this weekend, the Pioneers will host back-to-back matches at friendly confines of the Utica College Pool … On Friday, Nov. 1st, UC welcomes William Smith and Cazenovia for a three-way meet set for 7 p.m. … Then, on Saturday, Nov. 9th, the Pioneers will face Wells College for a 1p.m. afternoon start in Utica, NY.