BOCA RATON, Fla. – The Lynn University men's and women's swimming teams smashed the record books and set numerous program firsts a year ago, so it goes without saying that the 2024-25 teams have lofty expectations.
 
Fighting Knight Women
The Lynn women again raised the bar after they closed the 2023-24 NCAA Championships in fifth place behind the program's first relay National Championship.
 
Over the last three seasons, head coach Niki Alvarez has steadily improved her squad's final NCAA results and this year should be no different as five All-Americans and the National Title winning 200 medley relay team return to the McCusker Pool Complex.
 
Senior Laura Dekoninck, junior Malaika Schneider, graduate student Luna Mertins and sophomore Lexi Lundell return to lead a roster of 24 swimmers. The foursome captured the program's first relay National Title last spring with a 1:40.14 on the second day of the NCAA Championship.
 
"We have a really strong returning team with Luna, Laura, Malaika and Lexi in the 200 medley relay, but they are also strong swimmers in their individual events," said Alvarez. "Ally (Webster), Luz (Tapia), Mariele (De Santis) and Lydia (Douthit) are some really strong incoming freshman that will not only fill some holes, but give us the flexibility to move some of our other returners to different events."
 
Dekoninck finished the season with seven All-American honors at the NCAAs highlighted by a national runner-up finish in the 100 free (49.57) and fourth place in the 50 free (22.59). She also grabbed First Team All-SSC honors after winning conference titles in the 50 free (22.53), 100 free (49.97), 200 free relay (1:32.23), 400 free relay (3:22.53) and the 200 medley relay (1:40.53).
 
Schneider capped her first season with the Blue and White with four All-American awards in the pool and both Academic and Scholar All-America honors in the classroom.
 
Schneider, a Second Team All-SSC honoree, was the national runner-up (1:01.74) and the SSC Champion in the 100 breaststroke (1:02.53).
 
"Malaika is looking stronger and stronger and I think she will be on-point when it comes to both the SSCs and nationals," added Alvarez.
 
Mertins enters her final season with Lynn with 21 All-American awards, an individual National Title in the 100 butterfly (52.19) to go along with the 200 medley relay National Championship. A three-time First Team All-SSC honoree, Mertins was a First Team All-American in the 100 free (49.64), 100 back (53.95) and 100 butterfly (53.27) last season.
 
Mertins also captured SSC Titles in the 200 backstroke (1:58.57), 200 free relay (1:32.23), 400 free relay (3:22.53), 200 medley relay (1:40.53).
 
Lundell closed her freshman season with three First Team All-American honors in the 200 medley relay, the 400 medley relay (3:41.12) and 400 free relay (3:22.74). She also added SSC Titles in the 200 free relay (1:32.23) and the 200 medley relay (1:40.53).
 
"Lexi had a great summer and comes in looking stronger than her freshman season," noted Alvarez. "She worked on a few technique flaws this past summer and is more focused than last year. I think she is set for a great season and has a shot at qualifying for NCAAs as an individual."
 
"Ally and Mariele both swim the 200 and 400 IM, while Ally also swims the 200 breast and Mariele swims the 200 back and 200 fly," noted Alvarez. "Lydia will swim the 100 and 200 fly and is very strong in both events. I look for a very high level of improvement from her throughout the season."
  
Fighting Knight Men
The Lynn men set 14 school records a year ago, while junior Maurice Grabowski became a First Team All-American, the first in the six-year history of the men's program.
 
"One of the big goals is to get a relay team to nationals this year," said Alvarez. "I think we should be able to get at least one relay to qualify and possibly more than one in the freestyle and medley relays with the combination of returnees and incoming swimmers."
 
"With all three guys returning who went to nationals, Maurice, Max (Tsyfarov) and Kamil (Piotrowicz), it's exciting for our men's program," said Alvarez. "I think Ryan (Zasas) also had a great summer of training and I think he has a hunger that is hard to match after just missing the cut for nationals as a freshman a year ago. He has a very high level of motivation."
 
Grabowski earned a pair of All-American honors following his first season with the Blue and White, while also setting four individual school records and two relay records. He took home First Team honors after finishing in eighth place in the 100 free (43.97) and Second Team honors after finishing in 14^th in the 100 back (48.10).
 
Tsyfarov (sophomore) set five individual school records and two relay records during his freshman campaign with the Fighting Knights. He set a personal best in the 200 IM (1:48.45) after finishing 23rd at the NCAA Division II National Championships. He garnered Second Team All-SSC honors after taking second in the 100 backstroke (53.76), fifth in the 200 IM (1:49.13) and sixth in the 200 free (1:38.61) at the conference championships.
 
Piotrowicz (senior) closed his junior season with 17^th in the 200 breast (1:59.33) and 23^rd in the 100 breast (54.54) at the DII NCAA Championship. He also set a pair of individual school marks and one relay record.
 
"We added four very talented newcomers to the roster this year that will help us towards our goal of sending multiple relay teams to nationals," said Alvarez. "When we talk about recruiting and holes, we have had a large hole in the 200 back and the 200 fly over the last several seasons and we got very lucky to fill both with the addition of Kamil Geisner (freshman)," said Alvarez. "He will also be very quick in the relays in the backstroke."
 
"Paul Melcer (junior) is also a 200 backstroke swimmer so we were not only able to fill that need, but also provide some depth," noted Alvarez.
 
"Vitaly Kostin (junior) is very strong in the flys and the frees, while Eli Spivak is a true freshman that is really good in the freestyles and will be key on the relays," added Alvarez.
 
The Schedule
The Fighting Knights open the home portion of their schedule this Friday when they welcome SSC opponent Barry to McCusker at 11:00 am. The Lynn women will also host Rutgers on Saturday at 10:00 am.
 
Fans can watch all seven home meets this season by visiting the Fighting Knight Sports Network and by clicking here.