COLLEGE PARK, MD. – The William Paterson men's swimming and diving team competed in the final day of the inaugural New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Championship, placing ninth with 188 points to close out the 2023-24 campaign Feb. 17 at the University of Maryland Natatorium.
 
TOP PERFORMERS:

• Freshman Justin Melli (Erma, N.J./Lower Cape May Regional) advanced to the 200 fly C Final with a 2:06.79 finish for 20^th place in the preliminary round. In the finals, he finished fifth, posting a 2:07.07 time.
• Melli also competed in the 1,650 free final, finishing 16^th with a time 17:44.19.
• The Pioneers finished ninth in the 400 free relay with efforts by Melli, senior Brandon Arias (North Haledon, N.J./Passaic County Tech), senior Andrew Colligan (Andover, N.J./Sussex County Tech) and sophomore Nicky Byrd (Purchase, N.Y./Harrison), posting a time of 3:28.42.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Senior Brandon Arias (North Haledon, N.J./Passaic County Tech) secured a personal best in the 100 free preliminary round (52.10).
• Freshman Max Russell (Wharton, N.J./Jefferson Twp.) posted a season-best time in the 100 free preliminary round (53.94).
• Senior Anthony Newman (Lake Hiawatha, N.J./Parsippany) recorded a career-best time in the 100 free preliminary round (57.37).
• Junior Peter Usher (Boonton, N.J./Mountain Lakes) pushed his 100 free best time to under one minute during the preliminary round (59.37).
• Freshman Owen Kane (West Milford, N.J./West Milford) shredded more than 14 seconds off his 200 breast best time in the preliminary round (2:43.90).
• Melli earned season-best times in the 200 fly preliminary round (2:06.79) and the 1,650 free final (17:44.19).
• The ninth-place finish in the 400 free relay was a season-best time (3:28.42).

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