Newsday's All-Long Island boys swimming and diving team 2023

Newsday Swimmer of the Year: Martin Perecinsky, Kings Park, Jr.

Martin Perecinsky found motivation within the majority of the season. Kings Park doesn’t have a school team, so he swam in Suffolk individual events against others without school teams in order to post qualifying times for the boys swimming county and state championships.

The junior swimmer didn’t mind that though. It allowed him to solely hone in on perfecting his craft.

“There’s no pressure because there are no points scored and no team can win,” Perecinsky said. “It’s just you against the clock, so it’s a good meet to challenge yourself.”

But once Perecinsky was surrounded by others, that’s when he performed his best. Perecinsky won a state championship in the 200-yard freestyle in an All-American consideration time of 1:39.34 and placed second in the 100 backstroke with an All-American automatic time of 49.07 seconds at Ithaca College on March 4. He also won both events at the Suffolk championships to be named Newsday’s Swimmer of the Year.

“I was confident,” Perecinsky said. “I trusted my training and I knew I could drop my times.”

Perecinsky finished sixth in the 100 backstroke and 10th in the 200 freestyle in the state Federation championships as a sophomore. He focused on improving those times over the summer and throughout the season.

“I was very motivated," he said. “I’ve been getting a lot stronger and training a lot and it’s helped me a lot to drop my times.”

Nassau Swimmer of the Year: Stephen McDonald, Chaminade, Sr.

McDonald won the 100 freestyle in 45.07 and placed second in the 50 freestyle in 20.85 at the state Federation championships. Both were All-American consideration times. McDonald was also a part of Chaminade’s 200 freestyle relay team, which won the state title in 1:24.58.

Noah Cakir, St. Anthony’s, Soph.

He finished third in the 100 breaststroke in an All-American consideration time of 56.18 and fourth in the 200 individual medley in 1:52.33 at the state Federation championships. He also was part of St. Anthony’s 200 medley relay team, which won the state title in a state-record time of 1:32.29. Cakir won the 100 breaststroke and 200 individual medley at the CHSAA championships.

Pierre Leroy, Huntington/Harborfields/Whitman, Sr.

He won the 500 freestyle in an All-American consideration time of 4:32.43 and placed third in the 200 freestyle in 1:40.46 at the state championships.

Aaron Mendoza, St. Anthony’s, Jr.

Mendoza placed third in the 100 butterfly in 49.64 and third in the 100 backstroke in 49.55 at the state Federation championships. Both were All-American consideration times. He was also a member of St. Anthony’s 200 medley relay team, which won the state title in a state-record time of 1:32.29.

Ryan Nunez, Kellenberg, Sr.

He won the 100 butterfly in an All-American automatic time of 48.53 and finished fifth in the 100 backstroke in an All-American consideration time of 49.53 at the state Federation championships.

Nicholas Rhodes, South Side-Lynbrook, Sr.

He won the 100 backstroke in an All-American automatic time of 48.97 at the state championships. He set the Nassau record in the event at the county finals, winning in 48.87.

Tristan Yang, Jericho, Fr.

He placed second in the state championships in the 1-meter dive with a score of 544.05. His score was also the best of all public school competitors.

Chaminade 200 freestyle relay: Brian Kern, Lucas Silva, Kieran Duffy, Stephen McDonald

The team won the 200 freestyle relay in 1:24.58 at the state Federation championships.

St. Anthony’s 200 medley relay: Aaron Mendoza, Noah Cakir, Keanne Hernandez, Matthew McManus

The team won the 200 medley relay state Federation championship in a state-record time of 1:32.29.

Coach of the Year: Gregg Solnick, Hewlett

He guided Hewlett to its first Nassau team title since 1992.