Leighton Becomes MAAC Champion on Third Day of Swimming and Diving Championships

Canisius had three top-three finishes as freshman Evie Leighton became MAAC Champion in the 200 freestyle on day three of the 2024 MAAC Swimming and Diving Championships at the Spire Institute in Geneva, Ohio.

In total, the Golden Griffins broke four more program records Friday night, giving them a total of seven new records during the conference championships.

Both the men's team improved their position within the team standings, going from seventh to sixth with 219 points, while the women's team stayed level in fourth place with 242 points.

Leighton continued her dominant stretch in the pool becoming a MAAC Champion in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:50.08 after taking third place in the 500 free on day two and breaking two program relay records.

Fellow reshman Marin de Villard also placed in the top-three in the men's 100 backstroke on Friday, earning silver with a time of 48.03 and breaking a program record he had set earlier this season at the Magnus Cup Invitational.

The men capped off the evening with a program-best 3:17.81 in the 400 medley relay. De Villard, sophomore Samuel Vidal, junior Bronson Benes and graduate student Alexander Hiltbrand topped last year's MAAC Championship time of 3:20.27, in which Benes and Vidal also competed.

Sophomore Victor Vitse broke a program record in the men's 400 IM with a 3:57.51 to earn a fifth place finish.

Senior captain Jordan O'Connor also added her name to the record book, setting a new time of 56.37 in the 100 backstroke for a fifth place finish.

Up Next
Canisius will compete in the final of the MAAC Swimming and Diving Championships Saturday with the finals scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.

For complete coverage of Canisius swimming and diving, please follow @griffs_swim on Instagram and @GriffsSwim on Twitter.

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Players Mentioned

Bronson Benes: 5' 8"; Junior

Alexander Hiltbrand: 6' 3"; Graduate Student

Jordan O'Connor: 5' 5"; Senior

Marin de Villard: 6' 5"; Freshman

Evie Leighton: 5' 11"; Freshman

Victor Vitse: 5' 10"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Bronson Benes
: 5' 8"; Junior

Alexander Hiltbrand
: 6' 3"; Graduate Student

Jordan O'Connor
: 5' 5"; Senior

Marin de Villard
: 6' 5"; Freshman

Evie Leighton
: 5' 11"; Freshman

Victor Vitse
: 5' 10"; Sophomore