NEWARK, NJ—NJIT men's swimming and diving head coach Michael Lawson announced the addition of eight student athletes for the 2013-14 season.
The newcomers include:
Anthony Czar (Egg Harbor Township, NJ / Egg Harbor Township High School)
Michael Sungurov (Wayne, NJ / Wayne Hills High School)
Jay Friestad (Plano, TX / Plano Senior High School)
Jack Matusiak (Dallas, PA / Dallas High School)
Christian Giglio (Ocean Gate, NJ / Central Regional High School/ Ocean County College)
Gene Tutzauer (Toms River, NJ / Toms River High School North)
Adam Bransky (Scotch Plains, NJ / Scotch Plains Fanwood High School)
Timothy Sullivan (Keansburg, NJ / Keansburg High School)
NJIT continues to be a place where top student-athletes can both succeed in the pool and in the classroom. “We are very pleased to welcome another motivated and talented group of student athletes to our team,” stated head coach Michael Lawson. “These eight join a group of young men that are turning heads and accomplishing personal goals as the team had its best season since transitioning to Division I competition.”
NJIT, being the only public Division I university in New Jersey to offer Men's Swimming & Diving, has become a premier place for athletes looking to attend Division I mid-major science, technology, and engineering focused universities.
Along with the eight signees, NJIT Swimming & Diving expects to begin its diving program next season to help compete successfully against other Division I opponents.
Here is a closer look at the eight signees announced:
Anthony Czar hails from Egg Harbor Township, NJ, where he has swam competitively for both Egg Harbor Township High School (Coach Mark Jameison) and Egg Harbor Township Seahawks (Coach Brian Elko).
His swimming accomplishments include:
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- Top 5 Finisher in the 500 Freestyle at the 2013 NJSIAA Meet of Champions
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- Top 10 Finisher in the 200 Freestyle at the 2013 NJSIAA Meet of Champions
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- Top 12 Finisher in the 500 Freestyle at the 2012 NJSIAA Meet of Champions
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- 4 Year Varsity Letter Winner and Senior Captain, Egg Harbor Township High School
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- 2012-13 All Conference 1st Team 400 Meter Freestyle
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- 2013 All South Jersey 1st Team 200 Yard Freestyle
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- 2013 Atlantic City Press Swimmer of the Year
Anthony not only has excelled in the pool, but also in the classroom and beyond. He is a member of the National Honor Society and the National Latin Honor Society at Egg harbor Township High School. He is a 4 Year Honor Roll student and will graduate High School in June with an impressive 4.0 GPA. Anthony will continue his family's legacy of Division I swimming excellence following his Sister, Sarah (Captain of the swim team at Villanova University) and Brother, Paul (Captain of the swim team at Catholic University).
Anthony will be majoring in Biomedical Engineering and has been accepted into the prestigious Albert Dorman Honors College when he arrives at NJIT in the fall.
Michael Sungurov, of Wayne, NJ has already had an enormously successful swimming career at Wayne Hills High School (Coach Brian Pickler) and Cougar Aquatics.
His accomplishments include:
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- Top 20 Finisher in the 500 Freestyle at the 2013 NJSIAA Meet of Champions
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- 2013 Passaic County Champion in 50 Freestyle and 100 Freestyle
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- 3-Time All County 1st Team 200 Freestyle
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- 3-Time All County 2nd Team 500 Freestyle
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- 3-Time All County 1st Team 200 Freestyle Relay/ 400 Freestyle Relay
Michael will be majoring in Biomedical Engineering at NJIT in the fall.
Jay Friestad, a native of Plano, Texas will graduate from Plano Senior High School (Coach Philip Wiggins) in June. He also swims for the club team, the City of Plano Swimmers Senior Gold Team (Coach Ted Carson).
During his tenure at Plano, Jay has excelled with numerous accomplishments over the past two seasons including:
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- 4th Place Finisher in the 200 Freestyle Relay at the 2013 Texas State Championship
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- 2013 All American Automatic 200 Freestyle Relay
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- 2013 All State (TX), All Region, All District in the 200 Freestyle Relay and 400 Freestyle Relay
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- 2013 All Region, All District in the 50 Freestyle and 100 Freestyle
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- 2012 All Region, All District in the 50 Freestyle
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- 2012 All District in the 100 Freestyle
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- 2012 All Region 1st Team, All District in the 200 Medley Relay, 200 Free Relay, 400 Free Relay
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- 2011 All-American Consideration in the 400 Free Relay
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- 2011 All Region 1st Team, All District in the 50 Freestyle, 100 Freestyle, 200 Medley Relay, 200 Free Relay
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- 2011 All State (TX), All Region, All District in the 400 Free Relay
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- 2011 All American Consideration 400 Freestyle Relay
Jay is a member of the National Honors Society and will be majoring in Digital Design, when he arrives at NJIT in the Fall.
Jack Matusiak, of Dallas, PA, was a member of the Dallas High School (Coaches Jennifer Swiderski and Romaine Mosier) swim team. As well as the participating in swimming, Jack was on the Dallas High School Track & Field and Baseball teams.
His swimming accomplishments include:
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- 2013 All State (PA) in the 200 Freestyle Relay
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- 2013 All State (PA) in the 400 Freestyle Relay
Jack will be majoring in Chemical Engineering at NJIT in the fall.
Christian Giglio, of Ocean Gate, NJ has been an intricate part of both the Central Regional High School and Ocean County College (Coach Steve Stout) swim team dating back to his freshman year at Central Regional.
His swimming accomplishments include:
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- 200 Backstroke School Record- Ocean County College
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- 100 Backstroke School Record- Central Regional High School
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- 100 Backstroke Pool Record at Arcadia University
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- 2013 MVP Ocean County College
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- 2012 MVP Ocean County College
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- 2011 Senior Award Central Regional High School
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- 2010 Ironman Award Central Regional High School
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- 2009 MVP Central Regional High School
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- 2008 Rookie of the Year Central Regional High School
Christian will be majoring in Business at NJIT in the fall.
Gene Tutzauer, of Toms River, NJ swam at both Toms River North High School (Coach Brian Eberhardt) and Ocean County College (Coach Steve Stout). At Toms River North Gene also participated in Track & Field and Football.
His swimming accomplishments include:
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- 2013 MVP Ocean County College
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- 2012 MVP Ocean County College
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- 2011 Ironman Award Toms River North
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- 2010 Ironman Award Toms River North
At Toms River North, Gene was on the Honor Roll for all four years. At Ocean County College Gene was a member of Phi Theta Kappa and the National Academic Honor Society. In the fall Gene will be majoring in Electrical Engineering and is a candidate for admission into the Albert Dorman Honors College at NJIT.
Adam Bransky, of Scotch Plains, NJ swam at Scotch Plains Fanwood High School (Coaches Jess Hulnik and Judith Sharkey) as well as on the Fanwood Scotch Plains YMCA Piranhas (Coach Chris Karelus) and the JCC of Central New Jersey Barracudas (Coach Laura Bransky). In 2011 and 2012 Adam was named Most Improved Swimmer at Scotch Plains Fanwood High School and was Senior Captain of the swim team.
Adam earned his Eagle Scout in 2012. He will be majoring in Environmental Sciences at NJIT in the Fall.
Timothy Sullivan, of Keansburg, NJ swam at The Community YMCA of Red Bank (Coach Jack Caucino). At Keansburg High School Timothy is part of the Tri-M Music Honor Society, Order of the arrow Boy Scout Honor Society and received a Varsity Letter in Music. He also participated in “The Challenge” on MSG Varsity Channel.
Timothy will earn his Eagle Scout in Summer 2013. Timothy, in attending NJIT will continue a legacy of NJIT graduates within the Sullivan family. His grandfather, Joseph F. Sullivan graduated Newark College of Engineering with a BS in Civil Engineering in 1955. Timothy will be majoring in Mechanical Engineering at NJIT in the Fall.
Courtesy NJIT men's swimming and diving program
