Tribe Men Make History With 1st CAA Crown

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Photo Courtesy: William & Mary Athletics

RICHMOND – William & Mary Tribe men made program history on Saturday night by winning its first-ever Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Men’s Swimming & Diving Championship at the Collegiate School Aquatics Center.

The Tribe men captured the title in impressive fashion, never giving up its daily lead over the four-day meet en route to collecting 784.50 total points. Last season, William & Mary came up just short to longtime champion UNCW by a mere eight points in the final event of the championship. This year, the green and gold left no doubts.

The Seahawks entered this season’s title meet having won a ridiculous 13 consecutive CAA men’s swimming and diving titles and finished third with 565.50 points. Towson garnered 599 points for second-place, while Drexel finished fourth with 464 points. Taking home fifth was Delaware with 461 points and College of Charleston finished sixth with 390 points.

Saturday’s Finals included the women’s and men’s 1650-Yard Free, men’s and women’s 200-Yard Back, men’s and women’s 100-Yard Free, men’s and women’s 200-Yard Breast, men’s and women’s 200-Yard Fly and finally, the men’s and women’s 400-Yard Free Relays.

Towson’s Matt Lowe showed why he is one of the top distance swimmers in the conference in the first event of the evening. Lowe, who won the men’s 1650 free one year ago, defended his title in 2015 with a time of 15:16.95. Delaware’s Cory Camp and fellow Tiger Jon Burr, last year’s 500-free champ, finished in second and third.

In the 200 back, the Tribe staked 37 points thanks to having two individuals place 1-2 in juniors Will Manion and Justin Barden. Manion’s time of 1:44.13 set a new meet record. UNCW senior Valtteri Halonen finished in third.

Joel Berryman, who earned gold in the 50 free on Thursday, won his second individual title of the championship meet on Saturday, this time winning the 100 free in 43.77. The Drexel junior is the first Tiger to win either CAA freestyle titles in program history. Billy Russell of William & Mary and Matt Hans of Towson followed in order.

The men’s 200 breast saw Tribe standout Jeremiah O’Donnell capture his third individual meet title. The junior, who broke new conference championship records in both the 200 and 400-IM already, set a new school record on Saturday with a time of 1:57.39. O’Donnell was also honored by the league’s coaches as the Men’s Most Outstanding Swimmer of the Meet.

In the 200 fly, Towson’s Matt McKenney one-upped his own record-setting performance from a year ago. The junior, who set a new championship record in 2014 (1:46.14), was at it again this evening with a new mark of 1:45.68. Evan Baker of William & Mary and Kyle Lukens of Drexel placed second and third.

The final event of the championship didn’t see the Tribe hold back. Will Manion, Billy Russell, Risten Clarke and Taegan Clarke crushed the 400 free relays for a first-place time of 2:56.94. UNCW and Drexel followed in suit to officially close out the 2015 title meet.

Tribe coach Matt Crispano, a William & Mary grad in his eighth season at the helm, was tabbed Men’s Coach of the Year for the second straight season.

2015 Championship Meet Award Winners

Men’s Swimming Coach of the Year: Matt Crispino, William & Mary

Men’s Most Outstanding Swimmer of the Meet: Jeremiah O’Donnell, William & Mary

Men’s Diving Coach of the Year: Beau Bunn, UNCW

Men’s Most Outstanding Diver of the Meet: David Sanchez, Drexel

Final Men’s Championship Standings

1. William & Mary (784.50)

2. Towson (599)

3. UNCW (565.50)

4. Drexel (464)

5. Delaware (461)

6. College of Charleston (390)

RICHMOND – Towson captured its third consecutive Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Women’s Swimming and Diving Championship after totaling 720 points over the four-day 2015 title meet at the Collegiate School Aquatics Center.

TU sophomore Macey Arnold was named the meet’s Most Outstanding Women Swimmer, capturing three individual freestyle events – the 200, 500 and 1650-Yard. Amazingly, it’s the Tigers’ seventh title in the last eight years.

James Madison earned runner-up honors for the third time in as many years, totaling points 640 points, while William & Mary finished third with 585 points. Delaware took home fourth with 498 points, Northeastern earned fifth place with 364 points. UNCW, College of Charleston, and Drexel rounded out the remaining three spots.

Following all the events on Day 4, the major individual honors were highlighted via a poolside ceremony. Earning Diving Coach of the Year honors for the sixth straight season was Becky Benson of James Madison. Pat Mead of Towson won the Swimming Coach of the Year for the third consecutive season. James Madison redshirt sophomore Taryn McLaughlin earned Women’s Most Outstanding Diver of the Meet.

Saturday’s Finals included the women’s and men’s 1650-Yard Free, men’s and women’s 200-Yard Back, men’s and women’s 100-Yard Free, men’s and women’s 200-Yard Breast, men’s and women’s 200-Yard Fly and finally, the men’s and women’s 400-Yard Free Relays.

The first event of the night looked simple for Arnold, who claimed gold in the 1650 free in 16:16.00, while the next closest competitor, her teammate Liz Saint, finished second in 16:37.00. William & Mary’s Selina Fuller rounded out the top three.

In the 200 back, the Tigers again capitalized with a first-place individual finish. Junior Charlotte Holz, who won the 200-IM on Day 2 of the championship meet, clocked the top time in 1:57.48. NU’s Anna Schegoleva and the Tribe’s Sophie Rittenhouse followed closely in the second and third.

UD’s Morgan Whyte won her second individual freestyle event of the week on Saturday night. The junior, who already claimed the top spot for the 50 free, swam a school-record 49.44 to lead the way in the 100 free. Jaimie Miller of William & Mary and Camilla Czulada of JMU placed second and third, respectively.

Like Whyte, Towson’s Jenna Van Camp made it a sweep for the week by winning the 200 breast after capturing the 100 breast just one day earlier. On Saturday, Van Camp paced the pack with a first-place time of 2:10.03. Drexel’s Rachel Bernhardt and the Dukes’ Sin Hye Won finished second and third.

The fourth Tiger to find the top podium spot on Saturday was Victoria Oslund, who touched the wall in 1:59.11 to claim first-place honors in the 200 fly. A pair of Tribe swimmer, Jessie Ustjanauskas and Abby Mack, rounded out the top three spots.

James Madison battled until the end, as seen in the night’s last event, the 400 free relays. The Dukes’ team of Camilla Czulada, Kristen Zielinski, Quinn MacMillan and Susanne Gingher earned gold for their record-setting CAA Championship performance of 3:20.45. Delaware and Towson finished second and third to conclude the title meet officially.

2015 Championship Meet Award Winners

Women’s Swimming Coach of the Year: Pat Mead, Towson

Women’s Most Outstanding Swimmer of the Meet: Macey Arnold, Towson

Women’s Diving Coach of the Year: Becky Benson, James Madison

Women’s Most Outstanding Diver of the Meet: Taryn McLaughlin, James Madison

Final Women’s CAA Championship Standings

1. Towson (720)

2. James Madison (640)

3. William & Mary (585)

4. Delaware (498)

5. Northeastern (364)

6. UNCW (283.50)

7. College of Charleston (202.50)

8. Drexel (201)

The above article is a press release submitted to Swimming World. To reach our audience, contact us at newsmaster@swimmingworld.com.

2015 Colonial Athletics Association, Day Four – Results

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CAA Fan
CAA Fan
9 years ago

There was a striking contrast as the meet concluded. At one end, the award winners celebrating a great meet and, at the other end of the pool, the College of Charleston team and parents supporting each other as the team finished its last session. The typical blend of relief and exhaustion as the meet ended took on a different look as Charleston realized it was over. The team carried itself with class, and swam very hard. Their fellow competitors honored them with a “CofC” cheer as the meet ended. There was no official mention of the demise of the program, it was left to the swimmers to express it themselves.

Another unfortunate loss for our conference and our sport.

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