LOUDONVILLE, NY – Siena Swimming & Diving will commence its 21^st season in program history and its 10^th under the direction of Head Coach Paul Kueterman with a tri-meet this weekend. The Saints will travel to Vestal, NY to face host Binghamton and MAAC rival Niagara on Saturday, Oct. 19 at 1:00 p.m. for the first of 11 scheduled meets in their 2019-20 schedule.

Saturday's action can be followed along by following @Siena_SwimDive. Live results will not be available, but results will be tweeted out and will be available shortly after the conclusion of the meet on SienaSaints.com
 
Looking to build upon a 2-8 dual meet record and an eighth-place finish at the 2019 MAAC Swimming & diving Championships, Kueterman welcomed in the largest incoming class in program history this fall, with nine swimmers and one diver coming to the Capital Region. The incoming class includes Emma Mauro, Ellie Murphy & Sydney Murinka swimming freestyle and breaststroke, Maggie Caputo at breast and backstroke, Elisabeth Balicanta & Jessica Shine swimming butterfly and back, Reilly King at free and back, and freestyle specialists Rory Kalac and Lauren Ostrander. Additionally, local product Lydia DeLano signs on as the program's first diver in three seasons.
 
The team's new depth, combined with 10 returning swimmers to advanced to 14 unique MAAC Championship Final heats last year, will look to fill the void left from five graduating seniors, including a pair of All-MAAC finishers and new 200-yard butterfly record holder Julianna Sebastian. Among the team's top returners include MAAC Championship Final Qualifiers Carrie Bonvissuto (500 free), Rachel Brown (50, 100 & 200 free), Sydney Lautenslager (400 IM), Shannon Leary (200 breast), Isabel Harms (200 back) and junior Larissa Nanna (100 & 200 breast), who placed seventh in her heat to earn All-MAAC honors.
 
Led by senior captains Brown, Nanna and Katelyn Ludwicki, The Saints will face off against 12 total opponents in dual or tri-meet action, while also participating in the ECAC Winter Championships from Dec. 6-8, and the MAAC Championships from Feb. 12-15, 2020. The competition field includes eight squads from last season's slate and both teams that Siena collected victories against (Manhattan & Saint Peter's). The Green and Gold will host home meets at the Siena Swim Center on Nov. 9 against Wagner, Jan. 11 against Vermont and Feb. 1 against Saint Francis (PA).
 
Entering their opening weekend, the Saints hold an 11-7 advantage all-time over Niagara, and are 1-5 when facing Binghamton. Both teams edged the Saints in tri-meet competition on Oct. 20, 2018, with the Bearcats taking a 171-94 win and the Purple Eagles doing so by a score of 173-97.