The men's swimming and diving team's final dual meet of the season at home against Wheaton College began with a celebration of the squad's outgoing seniors. But it quickly turned into a tour de force of the Jumbos' underclassmen and juniors. Freshmen Tyler Lueck, Cam Simko and Michael Winget and junior diver Johann Schmidt each had two first?place finishes in individual events. Freshmen Anthony DeBenedetto and Tanner Wiest, sophomore John Devine and juniors Drew Berman and Kyle Savidge added wins of their own, as the Jumbos took an early lead by winning the first nine swimming events and maintained it en route to a 163?100 win.
The victory capped off a 4?4 dual meet season for a program that has been above .500 every year dating back to the 1999?2000 season.
Although no senior won an individual event, after the meet coach Adam Hoyt was quick to praise the graduating class for its leadership and determination.
"The class of 2013 has done a lot for this year's team and our program," Hoyt said. "We're all very proud of the character they have shown for four years, the way they have led the team this season, and the heart they put into their racing."
It was senior Brian Marko who set the tone. In the first event of the day, Marko led off the winning 200?yard medley relay, opening up the Jumbos' run of nine straight victories.
But the rest of the meet was dominated by the team's freshmen as Winget won both the 50?yard and 100?yard freestyle sprints, while Lueck swept the distance events. To cap off the day for the class of 2016, Simko was first to touch in the 100?yard butterfly and had the fastest time of the day in the 200?yard individual medley.
Upperclassmen were able to turn in strong performances as well, as juniors Berman and Savidge were fastest in the 100?yard backstroke and 50?yard breaststroke, respectively.
In the diving well, it was a return to form for Schmidt, who struggled last week in a surprising tri?meet loss. But after victories in both the 1? and 3?meter dives on Saturday, he seems to be back on track, as his 1?meter dive was the highest score recorded in the NESCAC this season. His performance culminated in a NESCAC Performer of the Week award on Monday, the second week in a row that a Jumbo has won the prize.
With the dual meet season in the books, the Jumbos are looking forward to the most important events of the year, including this weekend's Wheaton Invitational. For the Jumbos, it will be the final tune up before the NESCAC Championship Meet on February 22?24.
"I know we are going to do well this year with all the eager freshman that have been swimming so well and the rest of the upperclassmen looking to show the rest of the 'CAC what we have," Schmidt said.
