College Swimming and Diving
Rider Adds Depth with 11 Newcomers

LAWRENCEVILLE—Six men and five women make up the newcomers for the Rider University swimming and diving teams, head coach Steve Fletcher announced.

Joining the men's team as part of the Rider Class of 2018 are Nolan Coyle (Northfield, N.J.), Mark Maslanka (Princeton, N.J.), Zack Molloy (Toms River, N.J.), Maciej Paz (Garfield, N.J.) and Ben Smith (Forked River, N.J.), with Bucknell transfer Harun Filipovic (Princeton, N.J.) joining the squad as a junior.

“Our men's class includes a mix of athletes both on and off the recruitment radar from 2014,” said Fletcher who was the MAAC Men's Coach of the Year in 2013-14.  “The class includes YMCA national finalists, a New Jersey State record holder, Junior National Qualifiers and high school standouts.  There will also be some surprises from some of our freshman men who've been untested in a college program training environment.”

Additions to the women's team include Hannah Bayer (Forest Hill, Md.), Emily Keem (Tonawanda, N.Y.), Tara Maniace (Neptune, N.J.), Julianna Runk (Baltimore, Md.) and Baileigh Vanderhoof (Lords Valley, Pa.).

“We are excited about the potential of our freshman class,” said Fletcher.  “Competitively, they add talent and depth in the pool, and they have really shown a disciplined work ethic on deck so far this season.  Our freshman women offer a quiet brand of leadership by example, which is the best kind.”

Bayer is from Bel Air High School and swims the freestyle and IM.  Swimming for Arena Club Aquatics for four years, she placed sixth at states in the 1000 free, sixth in the 400 IM, eighth in the 1650 free and 10th in the 500 free.  A Marine Biology major, Bayer also lettered in field hockey for her high school team.

Coyle comes to Rider out of Mainland Regional High School where he was a four-year varsity letterwinner, swimming the 50, 100 and 200 freestyle events.  A Business major, Coyle was the Cape-Atlantic League Outstanding Individual Swimmer and placed ninth in the state for the 200 free.

A back stroke and free style swimmer out of Princeton High School, Filipovic was a four-year letterwinner and won a state title in 2012 while earning a sectional championship and county championship four straight years.  An Information Systems major, Filipovic also helped set his school's 200 freestyle relay record.

Keem, from Sweet Home High School, swam for five seasons with her high school squad and was a four-time team MVP.  She was an Erie County Interscholastic Conference and Section 6 finalist for four years in the 500 free and is also her high school record holder in that event.  For her club team SHAQ, which she was an 11-year veteran, Keem was an Eastern Zone Qualifier and District Championship finalist and earned a top three finish.

Maniace is from Neptune High School where she was a four-year letterwinner, competing in the 100 breast and 200 IM.  She was a First Team All-Monmouth County honoree in the 100 breast and earned Second Team All-Shore Conference honors in the 100 breast as a junior and senior.  Majoring in Business at Rider, Maniace was a six-year veteran for her club team NJRC.

A diver from Montgomery High School, Maslanka was a three-year letterwinner, winning the Somerset County championship and placing 10th at the NJSIAA championships.  A Biology major, Maslanka was also a four-year letterwinner for cross country with a top time of 17:50 in the 5k.

Molloy is the third of three brothers to attend Rider with Brian a 2013 alum who was a four-year letterwinner for the Bronc swim team, earning 2012-13 Rider Male Athlete of the Year honors and William, a current sophomore who is part of the Bronc Class of 2017.  From Toms River High School North, Zack, who is an Accounting major, was a four-year letterwinner and was a New Jersey State champion in the 100 free and 200 free, setting meet records at the NJSIAA Meet of Champions.

Paz comes to Rider out of Paramus Catholic, where he was a four-year letterwinner, swimming the 50 free, 100 free and 100 fly.  As a varsity captain, he earned First Team All-League, All-County and All-State honors.  A Biology major, Paz swam at the 2014 Junior Olympics for the National Club Swimming Association (NCSA).

Runk joins the Bronc squad out of Perry Hall High School.  Swimming for her club team NBAC, she scored Maryland top 10 finishes in the 100 back, 100 breast, 200 IM and 400 IM at the 2014 CeraVe Invitational.

Smith is a four-year letterwinner out of Lacey Township High School where he earned First Team All-Shore honors in 2013 and 2014 and is the Ocean County record holder in the 100 fly.  A Mathematics major, Smith is a three-time high school MVP and also swam for the Ocean County YMCA Tiger Sharks and was a three-time YMCA short course national qualifier and 200 fly team record holder.

Vanderhoof, who is majoring in Biology and Pre-Med, attended Wallenpaupack High School where she was a four-year letterwinner, competing in the IM, breast and fly events.  A two-time team captain, she earned the Outstanding Female Swimmer award four times and was a two-time PIAA District 2-4 District and Regional champion and two-time PIAA State Championship qualifier.

The Rider men are the three-time defending Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championships and the Bronc women placed runner-up for the fourth season in a row.

The 2014-15 season begins at Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) on October 11.  Rider opens the home portion of the schedule on October 16 against Seton Hall at Coppola Pool.

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