Incoming Class

Men's Swimming & Diving bulks up roster for 2010-11
ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. - Men's swimming head coach Sean McNamee announced the signing of four student-athletes to National Letters of Intent and three more to grant-in-aid for the 2010-11 season.
Michael Burud, James Martin, Stephen Melchiorre and Patrick O'Donnell signed National Letters of Intent to swim with the Bonnies. John McMahon comes to St. Bonaventure after competing the past two seasons at the University of New Orleans, while freshman David Paccapaniccia also transferred in from the University of Pittsburgh in January, but did not compete so he will have four years of eligibility. Mike Hartwell, John Mackiewicz and Bob Rutkowski will also be joining the Bonnies in the Fall.
Diver, Dominick Butts-Ealy transfers from the University of New Orleans as well.
Burud, a Red Hook, N.Y. native, comes from a family of swimmers – all three of his older siblings are either currently competing or have finished their careers as collegiate swimmers. In the pool, Burud has had quite a high school career of his own, finishing with a time of 46.64 in the 100 free, 58.31 in the 100 breast and 51.57 in the 100 fly. As a freshman, he swam in the Empire State Games, winning gold medals in the 100-yard free and 400-yard medley relays. In all, after swimming at the Games all four years in high school he has earned seven gold and four silver medals. Burud also earned a spot in the Speedo Championship Sectional Meet in each of his four years.
A sophomore transfer for New Orleans, Butts-Ealy finished sixth in the one-meter dive and 7th in the three-meter at the Sun Belt Conference Championship. He posted season-high scores of 299.85 and 304.00 in the one and three-meter, respectively. As a senior at Overland High School in Denver, Colo., he took fourth place at states and first in the Centennial League Championship.
Hartwell was a six-year member of the varsity swimming team and also played soccer and ran track. A product of Mexico, N.Y., Hartwell led his team to Section III championships for three years. His top times were 47.81 in the 100 free and 1:43.91 in the 200 free. As a senior, he set a school record in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 47.81 and was a state qualifier in the event. After winning the 100 free, 200 free, 200 medley relay and 400 free relay he was selected as a member of the first team All-Section and was the Class B Swimmer of the Meet.
Mackiewicz, from Wallingford, Connecticut, holds four team records in the 500-yard free, 200-yard free relay, 100-yard fly and 100-yard backstroke. This season he posted top times of 52.70 in the 100 fly, 1:58.69 in the 200 fly and 1:58.44 in the 200 back. As a junior, he was named to the All-State and New Haven Register All-Area teams and was named Team MVP. He is also a two-time scholar athlete at Lyman Hall High School.
In just one year, James Martin left a big impression on Connecticut high school swimming. The St. Paul Catholic senior won two Class LL championships and was named the Connecticut Swimmer of the Year while becoming the fastest swimmer in the state in both the 200 (1:40.73) and 100 yard freestyle (45.67), taking home the State Open crown in each. Martin, from Bristol, Conn., was able to compete for his high school team, as St. Paul competed in a Co-op with the Bristol public schools for the first time this season. He holds the Co-op record in the 50 free (21.23), the 100 free and the 100 backstroke. He owns the conference-best time in the 100 and 200 free, as well. As a member of the Central Connecticut Aquatic team he was a junior national and sectional qualifier.
A native of Walnut Creek, Calif., McMahon was the captain of a New Orleans team that was a two-time Scholastic All-American team. He also placed in the top 24 of all three of his events at the Sun Belt Conference Championships. He posted top times in the 200 back (1:52.79) and 1:54.15 in the 200 IM this season. In high school, McMahon was a Speedo Sectional Qualifier in the 200- and 100-yard backstroke as well as the 100-yard fly and 200-yard IM.
A native of Voorhees, N.J., Melchiorre was a three time All-South Jersey selection and earned a spot on the All-Non Catholic team for the state his senior year. At St. Augustine Prep he posted top season times of 1:55.44 in the 200 back as well as 53.18 in the 100 back and 400 IM (4:10.78). As a junior, he helped the school to the state Non-Public championship en route to a spot on the All-South Jersey team. His squad also won the championship his freshman and sophomore years.
O'Donnell, a Camilus, N.Y. native, was a two-time All-American in the 100-yard backstroke and 200-yard medley relay. This season he posted top times of 51.77 in the 100 back and 4:10.78 in the 400 IM. He was a Section III champion and named the section's Swimmer of the Meet. He owns the sectional record in the 200 medley and holds four school records. From eighth to 10th grade, he also swam in the Empire State Games.
Rutkowski will be close to his family as the Alden, N.Y., native comes to St. Bonaventure holding school records in the 100 back (58.70), 100 breast (59.49) and 200 IM (2:02.34). The two-year captain at Alden won his division and sectional in the breast stroke and 200 IM, while finishing 12th at the state meet in the breast stroke.
Paccapaniccia joined the Bonnies in January and will compete in the 2010-11 season. The Indiana, Pa., product led his team to a 10-0 finish his junior and senior years. He is a four-time All-State selection and was named most valuable swimmer in each of his four years. As a Bonnie he will add depth to the sprints as he posted times of 21.50 in the 50 free, 47.60 in the 100 free and 52.9 in the 100 butterfly in his final season.
The Bonnies finished second at the Atlantic 10 Championship for the third consecutive year and only lose three seniors to graduation.