Stony Brook Picks Up 21

Stony Brook, N.Y. - The Stony Brook women's swimming and diving team and head coach Dave Alexander announced the addition of seven women and twice as many men for the upcoming season.  Four of the five women are New York natives, while the fifth, Elizabeth Beckett, hails from Swindon, England. Agata Michalak (Whitestone, N.Y.), Olivia Myszkowski (Maspeth, N.Y.), Yuria Haruki (Jackson Heights, N.Y.) and Sarah Bouzarouata (Astoria, N.Y.) all call the Empire State home.

The crop of incoming swimmers features several local talents from the northeastern United States in Larry Barbosa (Corona, N.Y.), David Bonderoff (Cooperstown, N.Y.), Derek D'Ambra (Stamford, Conn.), Matthew Essig (Arlington, Va.), Ryan Kelley, Ben Koert (Rochester, N.Y.), Nick Kontos (Dix Hills, N.Y.), Ryan Levy, Brandon Shteyman (Jericho, N.Y), Thomas Theophilidis (Plainview, N.Y.) and Cole Underwood (Collegeville, Pa.).

Barbosa, a graduate of Holy Cross High School, competed for the Long Island Aquatic Club under head coach Dave Ferris.

"Larry Barbosa is a versatile swimmer who will add depth in middle distance and distance freestyle, backstroke, fly and individual medley events," says Alexander.

Barbosa will be joined at Stony Brook by club teammate Brandon Shteyman, who attended Jericho High School. Shteyman, who will add depth in the breaststroke events, was named Most Improved Swimmer his sophomore year.

A Cooperstown Central High School graduate, Bonderoff is the school's record holder in the 100 backstroke and 200 IM. Bonderoff was previously a three-time Section 3 Qualifier and was a state qualifier in 2010. Alexander expects Bonderoff to to add depth in the backstroke, individual medley and freestyle events. D'Ambra was a four-year varsity letterwinner at Westhill High School in Stamford, Conn. and also competed for the Sharks Swimming Club under head coach Rick Lewis. D'Ambra will add depth in middle distance and distance freestyle events.

Essig, a two-time first-team All-District competitor at Yorktown High School in Arlington, Va., will look to contribute in middle distance and distance freestyle events, in addition to backstroke and individual medley events. Essig was named team MVP in high school under coach Dave Lassiter, during which time he also competed for Sea Devils Swimming under head coach Peter Karl.

A graduate of Greece Arcadia High School, Koert competed for head coach Jeff Humphreys and was a member of the district record 200 freestyle relay team. Alexander believes Koert will add depth in the sprint freestyle events at Stony Brook.

Kontos, who went to Half Hollow Hills High School West, competed for high school coach Jason Weidersum and club coach John Pisano (Team Suffolk). Kontos will look to step in and contribute in backstroke and sprint freestyle events.

Theophilidis, a transfer from Manhattan College, attended Bethpage High School and swam for head coach Henry Clark. Theophilidis also competed for the Bethpage Barracudas and head coach Patricia Cuiti. Alexander believes he will add depth in the distance freestyle events.

The final member of the men's class, Underwood attended Perkiomen Valley High School in Collegeville, Pa., where he lettered in swimming and water polo. A district and state qualifier at the high school level, Underwood will compete in sprint freestyle and butterfly events.

A graduate of Archbishop Molloy High School, Michalak will look to contribute in the backstroke and sprint freestyle events. Myszkowski, who attended the Baccalaureate School for Global Education and previously swam for head coach Verny Rodriguez at the LaGuardia Aquatic Club, will provide depth in the freestyle and breaststroke events.

Haruki and Bouzarouata both come to Stony Brook after competing for the LaGuardia Twisters under head coach Dragos Coca. Haruki, a graduate of Robert F. Wagner Jr. High School, will compete in sprint and middle distance freestyle events and "contribute significantly" in butterfly events according to Alexander. Bouzarouata holds school records in the 50 free and 100 free events at Brooklyn Technical High School under head coach Maureen O'Hara. Like Michalak, Bouzarouata will contribute in sprint freestyle and backstroke events.

The fifth freshman addition, Beckett brings a wealth of international pedigree from across the pond. The England native was a semifinalist in the 200 breaststroke at the British Championships World Trials and currently holds club and county records in the 200 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, 200 breaststroke and 200 IM. Beckett also swam for head coach Louise Clayton with the Swindon Dolphins. Alexander expects Beckett to have a "significant impact on breaststroke and individual medley events."

Stony Brook will also welcome two transfer students from Sierra College in Rocklin, California, Jodie Darnell (Rocklin, Calif.) and Molly Swartz (Grass Valley, Calif.). Darnell was named Big 8 Diver of the Year while competing for Sierra and head coach Roland King. Swartz is a former state champion in one-meter diving and placed third in the three-meter dive in 2010. Both student-athletes are expected to make an impact on both the one-meter and three-meter boards.