LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) released the 2019-20 Swimming & Diving Preseason Coaches' Poll on Friday. The poll, which was voted on by the league's head coaches, saw the Bronc men tabbed as the preseason favorite with 97 points and the women were picked to finish third with 82 total points.
 
The Rider men have won eight straight MAAC Championships and they earned seven of a possible 10 first-place votes. Finishing behind the Broncs with the remaining three first-place votes was Bryant with 89 points. Marist was in third with 76 points, while Iona (70 points) and Monmouth (55 points) rounded out the top-five.
 
On the men's side, Canisius (53 points) was sixth, while Fairfield and Saint Peter's were seventh and eighth with 41 and 32 points, respectively. Niagara (19 points) was voted ninth and Manhattan (18 points) rounded out the poll.
 
The Fairfield women received nine of 10 first-place votes to earn 99 points and sit atop the women's poll. The Stags were followed by Marist (83 points), who just edged the third-place Broncs by one point. Iona received the final first-place vote and landed in fourth-place with 68 points and Canisius rounded out the top-five with 59 points.
 
On the women's side, Monmouth (54 points) was picked sixth to land ahead of Siena (40 points) in seventh. Niagara (28 points) came in eighth, Manhattan (19 points) was picked ninth and Saint Peter's (18 points) rounded out the poll.
 
The Broncs opened the season last Saturday with a dual meet against in-state rival Seton Hall. After strong showings, Rider saw four student-athletes earn MAAC Weekly awards.
 
The team swept the weekly awards thanks to Justin Carey (Landenberg, PA/Avon Grove) being named the MAAC Men's Swimmer of the Week, Dillon Walles (The Woodlands, TX/The Woodlands High School) being tabbed as the MAAC Men's Diver of the Week, Kylie McMahon (Annapolis, MD/St. Anne's) garnering MAAC Women's Swimmer of the Week honors and Meg Tomayko (Murfreesboro, TN/Siegel) picking up MAAC Women's Diver of the Week accolades.
 
Rider returns to action this weekend, October 11-12, traveling to nearby Piscataway, New Jersey, to compete in the two-day Rutgers Invitational.

 

2019-20 MAAC Men's Swimming & Diving Preseason Coaches' Poll
#	Program (First-place votes)	Total Points
1.	Rider (7)	97 points
2.	Bryant (3)	89 points
3.	Marist	76 points
4.	Iona	70 points
5.	Monmouth	55 points
6.	Canisius	53 points
7.	Fairfield	41 points
8.	Saint Peter's	32 points
9.	Niagara	19 points
10.	Manhattan	18 points

 
 
 

2019-20 MAAC Women's Swimming & Diving Preseason Coaches' Poll
#	Program (First-place votes)	Total Points
1.	Fairfield (9)	99 points
2.	Marist	83 points
3.	Rider	82 points
4.	Iona (1)	68 points
5.	Canisius	59 points
6.	Monmouth	54 points
7.	Siena	40 points
8.	Niagara	28 points
9.	Manhattan	19 points
10.	Saint Peter's	18 points