Somerset Valley Y Swimmers Win State Championship

For the fourth consecutive season, the Somerset Valley YMCA swim team has won the NJ YMCA State Championship swim meet, with Hillsborough swimmers Brad Zdroik, Lindsay Temple, Rachel Stoddard and Jacquelynn Parker helping to set the pace.

Somerset Valley YMCA swimmers competing at the YMCA 13 and Over State Championship meet held at Franklin & Marshall College on March 8-10 placed first in the Girls 13-14, Girls 15-18 and Boys 15-18 age group categories. Combined with scores earned by the younger members of the team at the YMCA 12 and Under State Championships held Feb. 22-24 at Ocean County YMCA, the Somerset Valley YMCA swim team won first place overall out of 50 teams.

The meet featuring the older swimmers at Franklin & Marshall College was a heavyweight showdown of local high school swimming talent, and SVY’s swimmers did not disappoint. In the 15-18 Boys age group, Bridgewater High School standouts Dylan Sali and Jesse Novak teamed up with David Chung and Brad Zdroik of Hillsborough High School, Zack Warner of Montgomery High School, and Andrew Nesbitt of St. Joseph’s High School, for three relay victories and numerous individual top 8 finishes. Two of the relays broke meet records.

“I was very happy with how focused the boys were both in and out of the pool,” said Head Coach Matt Donovan. “They just came off a very long high school season, and to do what they did on little rest was extremely impressive.”

The age 15-18 Girls age group followed with two relay victories and dozens of individual top 8 finishes of their own. Lindsay Temple, Rachel Stoddard and Jacquelynn Parker—members of the Hillsborough High School fresh off a state varsity championship—joined forces with Katrina Kuhn of Bishop Ahr High School and Holly Christensen of Hunterdon Central High School to win both freestyle relays.

The 400 freestyle relay won in meet record-breaking fashion.

“When I think of this girls’ team, the best word that comes to mind is depth,” said Donovan. “To have five girls finish top 8 in the 200 IM is amazing. It just goes to show how committed these young ladies are to be complete swimmers. Their intensity did not drop off one iota all weekend long.”

The 13-14 Girls age group had an equally impressive showing, winning the medley relay and breaking the meet record in the process. Julieyanna Parker of Hillsborough High School and Hollie Hopf of Pingry High School teamed up with middle schoolers Yelena Salvador of Bridgewater and Megan Bull of Hillsborough for the victory.

The 12 and Under Y State meet held at the Ocean County YMCA set the stage for SVY to make another State title run by handing the older swimmers a 260-point lead in the overall team score. SVY won the state title with a combined 3,300 points. 

“I was thrilled with the performance of our 12 and under swimmers,” said Head Age Group Coach Dan Roth. “The goal from day one was to hand the older kids a lead and the 12 and unders really came through with some big swims, especially in the relays, to make that happen.”

The 12 and under swimmers won three of the six relays, breaking their own team record in the 11-12 girls medley relay race.Under Coach Donovan’s leadership, SVY has now won five state titles (2006, 2010-13) and has established itself as a premier swimming powerhouse in New Jersey. The team has also earned numerous Y Silvers championships, most recently from 2010-13. 

SVY is currently ranked 25th overall nationally in USA Swimming’s virtual club ranking, out of over 2,600 registered swim programs. The team has over 400 swimmers who practice at the non-profit Somerset Valley YMCA’s branches in Bridgewater, Hillsborough and Somerville. 

“I am very pleased with the efforts of all of our swimmers this season. We have shown that we can be consistently successful at the State and regional level,” said Donovan. “I am confident that the team will continue this trend to be successful at the next level. The YMCA National meet is obviously the next challenge, and I am confident that this team will do everything in its power to be ready.”

Next up for the program is YMCA Nationals on April 3-6 in Greensboro, N.C. The team placed 10th overall last year, with the boys team taking fifth.

Complete meet results for the meet at Franklin and Marshall are posted online. The younger swimmers results are on the Ocean County Y site.