Athletics

First Class

Mariners swim team glides through inaugural NCAA season.

The MMA swim team finished their first season of NCAA competition with five student-athletes qualifying for the New England Intercollegiate Swimming and Diving Association (NEISDA) Championships.

Three of those students are members of the program’s first-ever recruiting class: Patrick McEneaney, Kaitlyn Reny and Joshua Roberts, all of whom are credited with helping to create a strong foundation for the future of the program.

“This first class is a very special group of pioneers. They have been excellent at bringing along the second wave of Mariners as they helped us recruit talented swimmers to the program and students to the academy,” says Director of Athletics Steve Peed.

Reny, the lone female to represent the Mariners at the NEISDA Championships, came to the academy because of its strong reputation for job placement and a hands-on approach to education. The opportunity to continue her swimming career at the collegiate level, while helping to build a program, was appealing to the Marine Biology major.

In its first year, the Mariners sent five swimmers to the NEISDA championships, including Kaitlyn Reny (shown above) who was chosen as the team’s Most Valuable Player.

“I can’t stop talking about the team with my friends; they are probably tired of hearing about Maine Maritime swimming,” Reny says.

One of her best memories from the season is the first-ever home meet at Bok Pool on January 16.

“It was such an exciting day, and the vibe around the pool was something I will never forget,” Reny says. “All of my nerves went away the second I stepped onto the pool deck. There were so many other student-athletes there supporting the swimming team, and having Steve and President Brennan there meant so much.”

Reny says she is proud to represent the academy at the NEISDA contest, and it’s an accomplishment she will share with others for the rest of her life.█

—By Mariners Athletics

Photos: Sharon Weiner Masi, Tony Llerena Photography

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