The Marist men’s swimming and diving team, led by Larry VanWagner and Melanie Bolstad, has announced eight incoming freshmen for the 2017-18 campaign. The group of seven swimmers and one diver hails from four different states and one other country.
Murray Coueslant – Fly/Free – Aberdeen, Scotland – Robert Gordon College – Aberdeen ASC
Coueslant has had success at home and abroad as captain of his high school swim team. He was in the top 10 in the United Kingdom in the 100-meter freestyle and top five in the 200-meter butterfly during his career. The consolation final winner in the 200 fly at the Scottish Short Course Championships, he was also a silver medalist in the same event at the Edinburgh International Swim Meet and took bronze at the Geneva International Swim Meet. Coueslant competed in the A final of the 200 fly at the Luxembourg International Swim Meet. He is a five-time national medalist and participated in the 100- and 200-meter butterfly at the Rio Olympic trials.
Academically, Coueslant had five ‘A’ grades at Scottish Higher Level and was a high school Prefect Leader.
Diego Faucher – Fly/Free – Miami, FL – Doral Academy Prep – Metro Aquatic Club
Faucher has earned three All-American times and won a state championship at Doral Academy. At last year’s state meet he received a bronze medal in the 50-yard freestyle.
David Gallino – Diving – Watertown, CT – Sacred Heart High School/Southern Connecticut State – SOCO Diving Club
A transfer from Southern Connecticut State University, Gallino took second place on the 1- and 3-meter boards at the 2017 Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference Championships. He won the 1-meter dive (435.05 points) and took second place in the 3-meter event (413.35 points) at the Northeast 10 Championships before he earned Diver of the Meet. Gallino was a two-time NVL Champion in high school. His brother, Peter Gallino, will be a senior team captain for Marist in 2017-18 and was the 2017 ECAC Male Diver of the Meet.
Max Garcia del Pozo – Fly/Free – Doral, FL – Belen Jesuit Prep – Metro Aquatic Club
Garcia del Pozo comes to Marist as a USA Swimming Academic All-American and Miami Herald All-Dade athlete. The captain of his high school’s varsity swim team, he finished third at the state meet in the 100-yard butterfly as a senior. In his junior season, Garcia del Pozo came in second in the same event at the same competition. He was also the regional champion in the 100-yard butterfly.
John Hurley – Breast/IM – Stewart Manor, NY – Sewanhaka – Long Island Express
Hurley was the Nassau County champion in the 500-yard freestyle last year and an All-Long Island Swimmer. He placed third at the New York State Swimming Championship and was an National Club Swimming Association Junior National Qualifier. In the classroom Hurley was an Honor Roll student all four years of high school. He was a member of the Music Honor Society and the school’s marching band.
Jackson Klarsfeld – Breast/IM – Pacific Grove, CA – Pacific Grove – Seaside Aquatic Club
Klarsfeld posted times of 1:54.44 in the 200-yard individual medley and 4:05.27 in the 400-yard event to cap his high school career. He graduated with honors and was selected Student of the Month in his Statistics Class.
Andrew Marilley – IM/Free – Mission Viejo, CA – Mission Viejo – Mission Viejo Swim
A recent graduate of Mission Viejo High School in California, Marilley also swam at Watertown High School in New York, where he led his team to a state title and was a 10-time Section III Swimming individual champion. During his sophomore year he was voted Swimmer of the Meet at the Section III State Qualifier meet. He was a top eight individual finisher in the 20+ Eastern Zone Age Group for USA Swimming and in Division II of the California Interscholastic Federation in 2016.
Daniel Simpson – Fly/Free – Medley, FL – Belen Jesuit Prep – Metro Aquatic Club
Simpson helped lead his high school team to a runner up finish at the state championships. He was a team captain at Belen Jesuit and received the Coaches’ Award. Individually, Simpson was a First Team All-Dade County selection and placed second in the 200-yard medley and 400-yard freestyle relay. He also finished third in the 200-yard freestyle relay.
The Red Foxes’ men’s team reached 100 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference dual meet victories at the H2ounds Invitational last season and has finished as a runner up at the conference championships the past five years.
Press Release courtesy of Marist Athletics.