Red Flash Women’s Swimming Set for Tri-Meet at LIU

LIU was chosen to complete fifth within the NEC Women’s Swimming & Diving Preseason Poll. At final yr’s NEC Championships, the Sharks captured gold and bronze within the 400-yard particular person medley, silver in each the 200-yard and 100-yard butterfly, and third-place finishes within the 200-yard medley relay and 400-yard freestyle relay. 

LAST TIME WE MET 
The Red Flash traveled to Long Island for a tri-meet in opposition to LIU and St. Peter’s. Saint Francis secured victories in each meets, with the end in opposition to LIU coming right down to the ultimate relay race.

The Red Flash clinched first place by simply 0.17 seconds, whereas additionally holding onto an important third-place spot received by a mere two one-hundredths of a second. 

Aurem Pifarre led the way in which with two particular person wins within the 500-yard (5:09.27) and 1000-yard (10:44.76) freestyle occasions to kick off the meet. The Red Flash additionally swept the highest three spots within the 200-yard butterfly, with freshman Sara Turner taking first place in 2:09.57. Anna Bernasconi received the 50-yard freestyle in 24.97, narrowly edging teammate Paige Bacigal, whereas Krysta Weik topped the 200-yard breaststroke in 2:30.18 over Lizzie Smeltzer. 

The meet got here to an thrilling shut with a first-place end within the 200-yard freestyle relay from Oksana Horova, Aurem Pifarre, Paige Bacigal, and Anna Bernasconi, posting a time of 1:40.01 to seal the victory. 

OPENING DIVE VS MANHATTAN

Saint Francis ladies’s swimming heads to Brooklyn, N.Y., for a tri-meet at Manhattan University on Saturday, Oct. 25, at 11 a.m. contained in the Steinberg Wellness Center. 

The Red Flash will look to construct upon their 1-0 begin to the season. Historically, Saint Francis has received the one earlier assembly in opposition to Manhattan, defeating the Jaspers 263-68 in 2019. 

THE WORD ON THE JASPERS

Manhattan enters the season trying to construct off a stable exhibiting in early 2025-26 motion. The Jaspers opened on the Fairfield Invitational, the place Jaila Williamson led the way in which with a fourth-place end within the 50 SC Meter Freestyle (28.20), whereas Shayna Millard posted a 30.36. The 200 SC Meter Medley Relay completed fifth general (2:10.66), paced by Elle Feneide (sixth, 2:16.43) and Sophia Leber (2:31.73). 

At Fordham, the ladies’s crew continued to make an influence. The quartet of Tereza Horvatova, Williamson, Leber, and Millard posted a 1:59.55 within the 200 Medley Relay, whereas Leber captured the 50-yard butterfly with a 30.34. Millard logged a 2:11.46 within the 200-yard freestyle, simply forward of Leber (2:17.00). Horvatova scored three factors within the 50-yard backstroke (30.46), and Williamson added three factors within the 50-yard breaststroke for a third-place end. 

The Jaspers enter the tri-meet in opposition to Saint Francis and LIU on Oct. 25 trying to proceed constructing consistency and momentum 

LAST TIME WE MET 

On October 12, 2019, Saint Francis dominated the Highlander Invitational in Newark, N.J., sweeping all three competitions on day two. The Red Flash scored decisive wins over Saint Peter’s (250-73), Manhattan (263-68), and LIU (185-129), highlighted by robust performances throughout a number of occasions. 

The day opened with a win within the 200-yard medley relay, adopted by first-place finishes within the 400-yard particular person medley, 100-yard freestyle, 200-yard backstroke, 100-yard butterfly, and 500-yard freestyle. The Red Flash capped the meet with prime performances within the remaining occasions, showcasing the depth and steadiness of the crew. 

LAST TIME OUT
Saint Francis earned a 155–107 victory over Millersville on the highway at Anttonen Natatorium, opening and shutting the meet with relay wins and capturing ten particular person occasion victories to stay unbeaten in dual-meet motion. 

Maura Rubio and Taylor Weth every set pool data, with Rubio sweeping the 100 and 200 backstroke — highlighted by a 58.40 mark within the 100 — and Weth successful each the 100 and 200 breaststroke, together with a 1:06.87 within the 100. Sara Turner continued her robust type with wins within the 500 freestyle and 200 IM, together with a runner-up end within the 200 freestyle. 

The Red Flash additionally dominated the 100 butterfly, sweeping the highest three spots behind Ella Anderson, Laryssa Webster, and Reegan Brown. Saint Francis capped the day with a victory within the 200 freestyle relay as Brown, Katie Webster, Rubio, and Kathryn Tanis touched first at 1:41.02. 

Rubio and Turner each earned NEC Prime Performer honors for the second straight week, whereas Weth collected her first profession choice. 

NEXT TIME OUT
Saint Francis returns dwelling for its first and solely dwelling meet of the season, internet hosting Lock Haven on Friday, Nov. 7, at 6 p.m. inside Stokes Natatorium.  

The Red Flash will look to construct momentum in entrance of their dwelling crowd earlier than heading again on the highway for the rest of the autumn slate. 

PRESEASON POLL
Saint Francis ladies’s swimming was chosen to complete fourth within the 2025 Northeast Conference (NEC) preseason ballot, as voted on by league coaches. The Red Flash look to construct on a robust 2024 marketing campaign that noticed them place third on the NEC Championships. 

CCSU was picked first with 4 first-place votes, adopted by Howard, Wagner, and Saint Francis rounding out the highest 4. LIU, Stonehill, and Le Moyne accomplished the ballot. 

ABOUT THE COACH

Phil Hurley enters his sixth season as head coach of the Saint Francis ladies’s swimming program in 2025–26, bringing over 15 years of collegiate teaching expertise. Hurley led the Red Flash to a number of particular person podium finishes on the NEC Championships and powerful performances in twin meets and invitationals, together with home-and-home sequence in opposition to Duquesne and a fourth-place convention end in 2019–20. 

Prior to Saint Francis, Hurley was head coach at Lock Haven University and served as males’s and ladies’s assistant coach at South Dakota State University, the place he coached Summit League champions, helped athletes attain NCAA Division I “B” minimize requirements, and oversaw recruiting. He additionally was a graduate assistant at George Mason University and has intensive membership and highschool teaching expertise. 

Hurley swam collegiately at Dickinson College, the place he was a four-year letter-winner, three-year crew captain, All-Conference performer, and college report holder. He earned a B.A. in economics from Dickinson and a grasp’s in train, health, and well being promotion from George Mason. A local of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, Hurley additionally served as an officer within the United States Army. 

Under his steering, the Red Flash have excelled in each the pool and the classroom, persistently producing aggressive performances and powerful tutorial outcomes.