The Iona College men and women’s swimming and diving teams started their 2013-2014 seasons with a plethora of top five finishes at the New England Catholic Invite at Boston College.

For the women, the top Gael performers were sophomore Mary Ellen Mangione, who took first place in the 200 IM with a time of 2:13:86, and senior Kerri-Anne Dodenhoff, who won the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:08:41. Mangione also took second in the 200 breaststroke.

With an overall time of 1:51:73, the team of Dodenhoff, freshman Kathryn Nevin and seniors Maria Skeivys and Sophia Hyokyvaara placed first in the 200 medley relay.

“Our meet in Boston was my first college swim meet and it was awesome,” Nevin said. “I think that the end of our season is going to be great considering how well we did in Boston.”

Dodenhoff, Nevin, freshman Natalie Bowman and sophomore Melissa Dorsch took second in the 200 free relay with a time of 1:40:40. Skeivys, Mangione, Doughty and Bowman placed third in the 400 medley relay with a time of 4:05:45.

“Everyone on the team works really well together,” Skeivys said. “We have such a great close knit group and everyone has been giving everything they got since day one.”

On the men’s side, freshman Collin Purrman earned the highest spot in the 400 IM with a time of 4:18:40. He also placed second in the 500 free with a time of 4:45:98; Grigull finished in fourth place with a time of 4:50:04.

Senior Tyler Elfert, posting a time of 21:87, came in second place in the 50 free. Elfert, along with freshman Keegan Boisson-Yates, and seniors Ryan Bacci and Justin Grigull took third with a time of 1:30:15 in the 200 free relay.

In the 1000 free, Purman placed second with a time of 10:10:24. Also finishing in second was Boisson-Yates in the 100 backstroke with a time of 53:18.

In the 200 butterfly, two Gaels finished in the top five. Elfert placed fourth with a time of 2:01:82 and sophomore Scott Martin placed right behind Elfert with a time of 2:04:18. Martin also came in fifth in the 200 butterfly. He was joined in the top five with Purrman, who came in second.

The Gaels won eight head-to-head matches at the event. The women topped six teams: Siena, Niagara, Sacred Heart, Holy Cross, LeMoyne and Assumption. On the men’s side, the Gaels defeated Holy Cross and LeMoyne.

“We are a small, but a strong team and we are ready to do big things in the MAAC this season,” Skeivys said.

Both squads were in action on Oct. 26 when they welcomed St. Francis (Brooklyn) to the Hynes Athletics Center. The men triumphed with a score of 148-89.

The women also took on Wagner and Sacred Heart in the contest. The Gaels were successful against Sacred Heart with a score of 175-49 and against St. Francis with 170-57, but were defeated by Wagner 145-85.

The Maroon & Gold will travel to Manhattan on Nov. 2.

Their next home contests will be on Nov. 13 against Seton Hall.