ROCHESTER, N.Y. – In front of a packed Voller Athletic Center pool and on a momentous day for the Roberts swimming and diving program, the Redhawks defeated Monroe Community College in a dual meet.
The late October meet featured a handful of important events for the program, beginning with the "ribbon-cutting" and dedication of the new 3-meter diving platform that now allows Roberts to hold all the needed diving events for a meet. Last spring, a donation was given to the team to purchase the diving platform.
It was also a pink out to help raise money for breast cancer awareness. The team was able to raise over $400 on the day.
To cap off the thrilling day, both teams defeated MCC with the men winning, 186-106 and the women winning, 239-11.
"The energy in the building was high today because of the excitement around the new board and Mrs. Emmons being with us," said head coach
Sara Smith. "The divers performed well under a lot of pressure and the swimmers showed up and put their hearts into every race."
Will Rugaber was a standout during the meet winning both the 1-meter and 3-meter diving events while also setting a new program record. Rugaber scored 230.85 in the 1-meter and 220.65 in the 3-meter.
Sidney Simmons swept the women's diving events, scoring 240.20 in the 1-meter and 216.60 in the 3-meter.
The Redhawks took first place in 26 of the 32 events on the day en route to the win.
"This meet truly felt like a culminating event that we spent the past seven years working hard for," Smith said. "For the first time ever, we filled every event and every lane available for the Redhawks and had standing room only in the natatorium."
Roberts will be back in action again next Saturday in a tri-meet with Hobart and William Smith College and Wells College.
