BAAC ACHIEVES SEASON BEST TIMES AT NIAGARA LONG COURSE CHAMPIONSHIPS WITH ALESSI SELECTED TO NIAGARA ZONE TEAM

BUFFALO, NY, August 5, 2019 -  The Buffalo Area Aquatic Club (BAAC) concluded the long course swim season with season best times by all swimmers at the Niagara Long Course Championships held at Erie Community College in Buffalo, New York on July 18^th to the 21^st.

Leading up to the Niagara Championships, BAAC hosted a “Last Chance Meet” for Niagara swimmers on July 7^th at Alumni Arena to achieve championship times. Highlights from this meet included personal bests by 18 of the 24 BAAC swimmers with Gabriel Russell-Webster earning two new championship qualifying times. Most improved included Lucy Culliton, Maya Huntress, Amelia Jermak, Veronika Puzanovova, Spencer Remick, Gabriel Russell-Webster and Isabella Umansky who all had personal best times in three or more events. Competing in events for the first time were Brian Craig, Liam Carroll, Lucy Culliton, Veronika Puzanovova, Spencer Remick, and Lily Goral in her first ever long course swim meet.

For the Niagara Championships, BAAC had twenty swimmers qualify including Luciana Alessi, Megan Bouton, Emily Dillon, Molly Fulco, Lauren Golden, Sofia Hall, Abby Halsdorfer, Maya Huntress, Audrey Jensen, Megan Jermak, Cara Marchese, Nicole Marchese, Rachel Martin, Celia Morey, Jessica Napier, Reagan Peiper, Veronika Puzanovova, Gabriel Russell-Webster, David Sabol and Katarina Umansky. Leading the team in points was Luciana Alessi with 93 points including first place in the 200 Freestyle and four additional top 4 finishes. Next in points was Lauren Golden with 61 points from three top 8 finishes and five personal best times. Finally, Veronika Puzanovova achieved 57 points from three top 8 finishes and personal best times in all six events.

Highlighting the end of the long course season, Luciana Alessi was selected by the Niagara Local Swimming Committee (LSC) to join the Niagara Long Course Zone Team. Luciana will be competing in the 10 and Under division in the Eastern Zone Long Course Age Group Championships in Richmond, Virginia on August 7^th through the 10^th.

The Buffalo Area Aquatic Club will finish the 2019 season at the Town of Tonawanda’s End of Summer Meet this week. Registration for the 2019-2020 season will be available starting this week on the team’s website at www.buffaloswimming.com.