BUFFALO, N.Y. – Cortland finished in third place, and was just one point shy of second, at the 2019 SUNYAC Men's Swimming and Diving Championships. The last of three full days of competition was completed Saturday at the Burt Flickinger Center at Erie Community College.

Geneseo won its sixth straight league title with 951.5 points, followed by Oswego with 526 and Cortland with 525. New Paltz placed fourth (327), two points ahead of Oneonta (325), with Fredonia (300), Brockport (285.5), Buffalo St. (201) and Potsdam (142) completing the nine-team field. Cortland has finished in the top four in the league standings each of the last 16 years.

Nick Galeto (West Islip) finished second in the 200-yard backstroke in 1:54.23. The top three finishers in each event earn first, second and third-team All-SUNYAC honors, respectively. Galeto, however, will officially be considered by the conference as first team All-SUNYAC due to his victory in the 100-yard backstroke Friday as each athlete's top finish is used to determine all-league status.

Patrick Conway (Wantagh/Kellenberg Memorial) qualified for the NCAA Division III Diving Regionals with his ninth-place score of 444.05 points on the 3-meter board. The qualifying standard is 440 points, which can be met either at the conference championship or twice during the regular season. The NCAA Northeast-South regional qualifier will be held Friday-Saturday, March 1-2, at RIT.

Dylan Cornelia (Deer Park) placed fourth in the 200-yard breaststroke in 2:09.19 (2:09.04 prelims) and was one of three Red Dragons to swim in the finals in that event. Noah Farmer (New Hartford) finished sixth in 2:11.49 (2:11.28 prelims) and Alex Fisher (Smithtown/Hauppauge) was eighth in 2:13.64 (2:12.85 prelims).

The 400-yard freestyle relay team of Tim Thatcher (Staten Island/St. Peter's Boys), Eric Kohlhoff (West Islip), Jason Boyko (Poughkeepsie/Our Lady of Lourdes) and Galeto finished fourth in 3:09.35. Hunter Bernhardt (Groton) was fifth in the 1,650-yard freestyle (16:46.25), Tim Rokos (Duanesburg) placed fifth in the 200-yard backstroke (1:57.54) and Adam Kirchgessner (West Irondequoit) was fifth in the 200-yard butterfly (1:57.60). In addition, Boyko finished sixth in the 200-yard butterfly (1:58.05, 1:57.10 prelims).

Conway was one of nine Red Dragons to finish in scoring places between ninth and 16th. John Severs (Suffern) was 10th in the 1,650-yard freestyle (17:03.36), Kohlhoff finished 11th in the 100-yard freestyle (48.11, 48.02 prelims), and Thomas Ryan (Long Beach) and Josh Chamak (New City/Clarkstown North) placed 12th (2:01.87, 2:00.38) and 13th (2:02.54), respectively, in the 200-yard backstroke. Alex Regna (Brockport) ended 14th in the 200-yard breaststroke (2:14.64), Billy Donlevy (Bayside/Holy Cross) was 15th in the 200-yard butterfly (2:03.81, 2:03.74 prelims), Thatcher was 16th in the 100-yard freestyle (48.76, 48.30 prelims), and Pat Calhoun (Oneonta) finished 16th in the 200-yard butterfly (2:04.31, 2:03.64 prelims).

Cortland led by three points entering the final event, the 400-yard freestyle relay. Oswego finished second to score 34 points, while Cortland finished fourth for 30 points, less than three tenths of a second behind third-place New Paltz.

2019 SUNYAC Men's Swimming and Diving Championships

Complete Results

FINAL STANDINGS

1) Geneseo – 951.5
2) Oswego – 526
3) Cortland – 525
4) New Paltz – 327
5) Oneonta – 325
6) Fredonia – 300
7) Brockport – 285.5
8) Buffalo St. – 201
9) Potsdam - 142