The Massachusetts men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams have a tough test ahead of them this weekend as they host Army in Joseph Rogers Pool on Saturday in the season home opener. Both the men’s and women’s teams are looking for redemption in this upcoming meet after losing to Boston University last weekend.
The men will have to look out for senior Bill McCarty who paced the Army squad on Friday, helping to defeat Marist and Syracuse. McCarty took the gold medal in the 100-yard, 200-yard and 500-yard freestyle events. He also teamed with junior Byron Plapp, sophomore Dan Foky and freshman Kenny Yacynych to win the 400-yard freestyle medley.
Another notable competitor for the Black Knights is junior Brody Blickle, who placed in a variety of events at the meet. He won the 100-yard backstroke and 200-yard individual medley, and teamed with Foky, senior Matt Leegan and sophomore Alex Ford to win the 400-yard freestyle relay as well.
Foky and Ford each contributed to three wins for the Black Knights on Friday. Foky won the 50 free in addition to his medley victories, while Ford swept both butterfly events in addition to his medley win.
The Minutemen will counter with freshman Derek Hursch, who led the charge last week against BU for the Minutemen, winning the 200-yard freestyle, 100-yard freestyle and the 200-yard medley. He will face off against McCarty in the 100-yard and 200-yard freestyle events, and Blickle in the 200-yard medley this weekend.
The Minutewomen have their own set of competitors to prepare for. Sophomore Alyssa Tran led the Army women last week, winning the 50-yard freestyle, 100-yard breaststroke and the 100-yard butterfly to pace the team. She was an All-Patriot League selection as a freshman last season and is only one second behind the all-time Army record for the 100-yard breaststroke.
Tran also teamed with senior Cortney Heaps, sophomore Juliana Lynch and freshman Anna Lan to earn the bronze medal in the 200-yard medley relay.
Senior Corri Payne also came up big for the Black Knights last week. She earned silver in both the 500-yard freestyle and teamed with Heaps, Lan and sophomore Megan Metts to earn a bronze medal finish in the 400 freestyle relay.
In last year’s edition of this meet, UMass earned a split. The men’s team fell 183-117, while the women’s squad snatched the victory, 166.5-127.5. Sophomore Julie Magyar led the Minutewomen, winning the 1000-yard and 500-yard freestyle events.
The men’s diving team will look to repeat its performance this year as well. Junior Jason Cook, senior Adam Duffield and senior John Clark teamed to sweep the one-meter dive, with Cook and Duffield earning gold and silver, respectively, in the three-meter dive.
After Army, both the men’s and women’s team will return to the pool on Oct. 30 when they square off with Stony Brook.
Ben Lambert can be reached at [email protected].
