LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – The Rider University men's swimming and diving team opened the 2021-22 season with a 169-129 dual-meet victory over Seton Hall in the Coppola Pool Saturday afternoon. It was the first meet for the team in 588 days.
 
The Bronc men won nine events in the meet.
 
Rider started the meet with a win in the 200-medley relay. Lucas Racevicius (Watertown, CT/Holy Cross), David Cooper (Spring, TX/Klein Oak), Jack Ruggieri (Bellmawr, NJ/Gloucester Catholic), and Webster Bozzo (Christansted, U.S. Virgin Islands/Good Hope Country Day) combined to touch the wall at 1:32.34, over two seconds ahead of the field.
 
Racevicius continued his strong meet in the 200-free, winning in a time of 1:41.39, nearly three seconds ahead of the remaining swimmers. He earned his third win of the day in the 100-free, touching the wall at 46.08. The junior closed out the day with a 1:53.33 winning swim in the 200-IM.
 
Derek Fantano (Morris, CT/Holy Cross) just out-touched teammate David Rucci (Sewell, NJ/Gateway Regional) in the 100-back. The pair stopped the clock at 51.92 and 51.97.
 
The Broncs swept the 200-back with Rucci, Fantano, and Bozzo finishing with times of 1:52.95, 1:53.09, and 1:58.01, respectively.
 
Cooper took the 200-breast with a time of 2:05.07. The time is a new pool record in the event.
 
It was another Rider sweep in the 100-fly. Nicholas Lane (Hackettstown, NJ/Lane Academy), Mike Treglia (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill East), and Ruggieri touched the wall at 51.52, 52.15, and 52.26, respectively.
 
In the diving competition, Sean Binning (Annandale, VA/W.T. Woodson) won the 3-meter with a score of 273.37.
 
NOTES & QUOTES
On the team's performance:
"The team was excited to resume competition after what was nearly a two-year layoff. Everyone across our rosters accomplished something great today that will open up the potential for our season."

On David Cooper's pool record breaking performance:
"David stayed remote with school last academic year and trained at home for 18 months. The results of his self discipline and dedication are only just beginning to shine through in his senior season with that performance today." - Head Coach Steve Fletcher

- The Broncs now lead the all-time series 15-14.
- Kyle Iorizzo (Norwood, NJ/Old Tappan Regional) was second in the 1,000-free.
- Iorizzo and Adam Musselman (Timonium, MD/Loyola Blakefield) were two-three in the 200-fly.
- Iorizzo and Christian Overton went two-three in the 500-free.
- Cooper placed second in the 100-breast.
- Bobby Irwin (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill East) and Bozzo swam two-three in the 50-free.
- Fantano was third in the 200-IM.
- Binning claimed second in the 1-meter.
- Marcas Racevicius (Watertown, CT/Holy Cross) was third in the 3-meter.
 
UP NEXT
Rider returns to action Friday, October 15 with a short trip to Princeton for a meet at 5:30 p.m.