PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The William Paterson men' swimming and diving team finished sixth of 11 Division III programs (ninth overall) as competition concluded at the Metropolitan Championships Feb. 22.

Junior Voyta Karas (Brno, Czech Republic) led the Pioneers' individual efforts by finishing third in the prelims of the 100 free with a NCAA Championships B qualifying time of 46.03. He later placed fifth in the A Final (46.10).

In the 200 back C Final, junior Stefan Rosales (Rahway, N.J./St. Joseph's-Metuchen) placed second (2:05.28) and junior Kevin Thomas (Seaville, N.J./Ocean City) was fifth (2:07.44). Freshman Brian Birkbeck (Absecon, N.J./Holy Spirit) touched sixth in the 200 breast C Final (2:26.61), and in the 1,650 free, senior David Caputo (Staten Island, N.Y./Curtis) was 11th (17:05.49) and freshman Edward Zappile (Oak Ridge, N.J./Jefferson Twp.) was 18th (18:11.10). 

The Pioneers' 400 free relay team of Karas, Caputo, Jordan McGrath (Edgewater Park, N.J./Burlington City) and Evan Seftel (Montville, N.J./Montville) won the B Final with a time of 3:16.56.

In the three-meter dive, senior Michael O'Shea (Edgewater, N.J./Leonia) placed fifth in the final (394.55) and sophomore Andrew Scimeca (Lincoln Park, N.J./Boonton) was 10th in the preliminaries (283.65).