The Student News Site of Ithaca College

The Ithacan
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The Student News Site of Ithaca College

The Ithacan
The Student News Site of Ithaca College

The Ithacan
Women's swiming and diving senior diver Kailee Payne clinched her third and fourth individual national championships in 2025. Payne reflects on her career as well as her struggles with mental health on her way to becoming a national champion.

National champion diver reflects on her career and mental health

By David Schurter, Co-Sports Editor • April 10, 2025
The sport of diving is characterized by living life on the edge. Making the right decisions in the right moment can make or break a routine. On the edge of the platform, multiple thoughts run through a diver’s head, questions of whether it is possible to achieve the goal at hand or are they good enough to complete the routine. When they hit the water, it is all in the past.
The Ithaca College swimming and diving teams have found recent success on the boards. Senior diver Samuel Smith joined the team his junior season and has consistently been one of the team's top divers.

Former walk-on diver makes a splash

By Flynn Hynes, Head Sports Editor • February 7, 2025
When senior diver Samuel Smith leapt from the second dam, he landed not just in the water, but into a collegiate diving career.
From left, sophomore swimmer Kathleen Papiernik and senior national champion diver Kailee Payne. With no pool in preseason, the Bombers have surged to a 3-1 start, proving their resilience and readiness to defend their Liberty League title in 2024.

Women’s swim and dive overpowers its opponents

By David Schurter, Co-Sports Editor • November 7, 2024
Despite having no pool in the pre-season, the Ithaca College women’s swimming and diving team has started the regular season off strong with a 3-1 record so far — demonstrating that the Bombers are ready to compete for a sixth straight Liberty League Championship win.
Mike Blakely-Armitage '00, the head men's and women's swimming and diving coach, has put a stronger emphasis on team culture outside of the pool this season. Blakely-Armitage replaced long-time head coach Kevin Markwardt after 36 seasons.

Ithaca College swimming and diving highlights team culture with new coaching staff

By Jacob Infald, Co-Sports Editor • February 21, 2024
The Ithaca College men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams have recently moved on from two longtime coaches. This season, with new voices in leadership, the Bombers have continued to have success in the pool while also placing an emphasis on success outside the pool.
Junior diver Kailee Payne transferred from Division l Marshall University to Ithaca College for her junior season. Payne held the 1-meter dive record at Marshall University and was named Conference USA Freshman Diver of the Year.

Record breaking diver reconnects with sport through community

By Flynn Hynes, Head Sports Editor • February 7, 2024
This season junior diver Kailee Payne has been dominating on the diving board, breaking the pool record at the Henry Kumpf Invitational on Jan. 20 with a score of 306.55 points in the 1-meter dive. 
Graduate student diver Abby Marraccino was initially recruited to the Ithaca College gymnastics team before getting cut during her first year. Since then, she has been a standout athlete on the swimming and diving team.

Former gymnasts find new home with swimming and diving team

By David Schurter, Co-Sports Editor • March 1, 2023
The Ithaca College gymnastics team has been known to be extremely selective with its recruits. Unfortunately, the program does not have enough space to keep everyone on the roster.
From left Chris Griffin, aquatics coordinator and diving coach for the men’s swimming and diving team, and first-year student Robert Mattesky watch the pool for the springboard diving class.

Ithaca College students stay active through PALS classes

By Daniel King, Senior Writer • September 20, 2022
PALS offers students a wide range of classes that teach them new skills and the opportunity to get hands-on with activities they may not have had the chance to ever partake in.
From left, freshman swimmer Jack Wadsworth and graduate student diver Ava Lowell, won NCAA titles at the Division III National Championships in Indianapolis, Indiana, on March 16–19.

Two Bombers bring home national titles for swim and dive teams

By Ori Grady, Staff Writer • March 31, 2022
In a season to remember for the Ithaca College men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams, the programs capped-off the campaign with a pair of national titles.
From left, juniors Karalyn Pawcio and Martha Kemp-Neilson compete in the women's swimming and diving and women's track and field Liberty League Championships, respectively.

Ithaca College programs reach top of the Liberty League

By Tobiah Zboray • March 10, 2022
Two Ithaca College athletics programs reached the top of the conference, posting Liberty League Championships for the college’s women’s swimming and diving and women’s track and field teams.
Graduate student Ava Lowell and junior Emily VanderSleen are set to lead the Bombers in diving and swimming, respectively.

Women’s swimming and diving team aims for three-peat

By Tommy Mumau, Assistant Sports Editor • November 10, 2021
The Ithaca College women’s swimming and diving team has begun its first full season in nearly two years with a determined, new-looking roster.
Junior diver Lindsey Duhamel performs a dive off of the 1-meter board during the Ithaca Invitational on Feb. 8 at the Kelsey Partridge Bird Natatorium.

Junior diver discusses transition from soccer to diving

By Emily Adams, Sports Editor • February 27, 2020
Junior diver Lindsey Duhamel recently completed her first season as a member of the women's swimming and diving team after switching from soccer.
Freshman Ethan Godfrey performs a dive on the 3-meter board during the swimming and diving meet against Union College Jan. 26 at the Kelsey Partridge Bird Natatorium.

Dynamic diving duo dominates on the boards

By Emily Adams • February 20, 2020
Junior diver Justin Moczynski and freshman diver Ethan Godfrey compete head to head every day in both meets and practice.
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