With 10 out of 25 Massachusetts men’s swimmers finishing first or second in this weekend’s Atlantic 10 Championships, the Minutemen became the second team in conference history to win four consecutive titles.
The men swam to a 840-585.5 victory over second-place St. Bonaventure, 840-585.5. Also UMass diver Mary Jenkins took home gold in the one-meter dive, with a score of 232.10.
Freshman Greg Chartier was named First-Team All-Conference for his victory in the 400-yard individual medley (3:59.77). Fellow freshman Gordon Leonard was honored likewise, after swimming a leg on all three winning relay teams. Even Swisher, the team’s freshman backstroke specialist, was named First-Team for his winning effort in the 200-yard back (1:51.68).
“The freshmen were a huge addition to the team. Last season we lost eight seniors who scored in last year’s A-10’s, but the young guys were able to come trough for us,” said coach Russ Yarworth, who was named the A-10 Coach of the Year for the fifth consecutive season.
Junior Missouri transfer Justin Zeimetz was named First-Team All-Conference, after claiming three individual titles. Zeimetz, who won an event on all three days, captured gold in the 100-yard back (51.99) and 100-yard free (45.31). His career-best time of 20.84 in the 50-yard free became the sixth fastest in UMass history. Senior Sean Collins and junior Ryan Matthews teamed up with Zeimetz and Leonard on the winning 200-yard free relay team (1:22.84).
All those involved in winning relay teams were named to the First-Team All-Conference, including junior Owen Scollan, who anchored the winning 400-yard free relay.
Senior captain Connor Townsend spent Sunday celebrating a four-year stint as A-10 Champion, after helping the cause with a victory in the 200-yard fly (1:51.10).
UMass junior Dylan Smith took first in the 100-yard fly, earning him a spot on the First-Team, contributing to Massachusetts’ six individual titles. During last year’s tournament Smith won the 200-yard fly with a time of 1.51.20.
“Between Zeimetz and the freshmen, we had several new additions contribute,” Yarworth said. I knew the guys had talent but I wasn’t sure that they could fill the hole left by 10 graduating seniors.”
On the women’s side, Massachusetts came in fifth out of nine competing teams. The Minutewomen were in contention for fourth-place until loosing out to Xavier by less than 10 points on the season’s last relay race (378.5-386).
Tri-captains Diana Alberti, Christen Dexter and Lauren Rowell, were named Second-Team All-Conference for their success in the women’s 200-yard medley relay. Joining the seniors on the winning relay team was freshman sprinter Nicole LeBarge. Alberti also led UMass scorers with a second-place finish in the 200-yard fly. The butterfly specialist graduates second all-time among UMass swimmers in the 100 and 200-yard fly.
“This year’s tournament was much faster than last year’s,” UMass women’s coach Bob Newcomb said. “We scored 30 more points than we did last year and easily could have taken fourth.”
