2020 PATRIOT LEAGUE SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS – MEN AND WOMEN
- Wednesday, February 19 – Saturday, February 22
- US Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland (Eastern Time Zone)
- Defending Champion: Navy men (16x) & Navy women (8x) (results – 1, 2, 3, 4)
- Live results
- Live Video
- Championship Central
- Full Results (PDF)
FINAL TEAM STANDINGS
Women’s Team Scores
1. Navy – 927
2. Bucknell – 533
3. Lehigh – 506
4. Army West Point – 471
5. Boston U. – 401
6. Loyola – 302
7. Colgate – 168
8. American – 135
9. Holy Cross – 120
10. Lafayette – 88
Men’s Team Scores
1. Navy – 1,095.5
2. Army West Point – 721
3. Loyola – 391
4. Bucknell – 342.5
5. Boston U. – 317.5
6. Lehigh – 312.5
7. Lafayette – 151
8. American – 127
9. Holy Cross – 97
10. Colgate – 96
The Navy Men’s and Women’s swimming and diving teams each took the Patriot League conference titles home this week, taking both titles by significant margins. The titles mark the 17th straight for the Navy men and the 9th straight for the Navy women.
Luke Johnson, a Navy junior kicked off the men’s session by taking the 1650 in record fashion. Johnson swam a lifetime best 14:52.11 to break the Patriot League meet record, conference record, and Navy school records. The previous Patriot League Records were 11 years old, standing at 14:58.72 by Erik Hunter from 2009. Johnson swam an excellent race, splitting 4:29.81 on the 1st 500, 4:29.65 on the 2nd 500, 4:32.48 on the 3rd 500, and 1:20.17 on the final 150. This was Johnson’s 3rd title in a row in the mile. He swam a 15:05.59 to win in 2018, and 14:58.95 to win in 2019. With his time this year, Johnson stands a chance of receiving an invitation to the NCAA Championships. His time currently stands 15th in the NCAA this year through the first week of conference championships. Around 30 swimmers will receive invites in the event.
Another Navy junior, Dominick Wallace, won the men’s 200 backstroke in a new conference record of 1:42.88. Wallace broke the meet and overall conference records, which stood at 1:43.14 from Chris Devlin in 2016, as well as the Navy school record. Wallace bested defending champion Caleb Mauldin, a Navy sophomore, who swam a 1:44.38 for 2nd. Navy also picked up 3rd in the event, with junior Billy Cadigan swimming a 1:44.49.
Navy junior Micah Oh led a 1-2 finish by Navy in the men’s 200 fly. Oh swam a 1:44.97, with sophomore Ethan Tack in tow with a 1:45.80. Oh won the event last year as well, showing stellar improvement this year. Last year, Oh swam a 1:47.31 to take the title, marking a 2.34 second improvement this year. Bradley Buchter, Navy’s star senior diver, won the men’s 3 meter diving, breaking his own Navy school, pool, Patriot League Championship, and Patriot League conference records. All 4 records stood at 430.10 from the 2017 Patriot League Champs. This year, Buchter posted a 456.90, eviscerating the his own records. With his victory in the event, Buchter completed a perfect campaign in the Patriot League diving events. He won 1 meter diving all 4 years of his NCAA career, as well as 3 meter.
Navy capped the meet with a win in the men’s 400 free relay, where Daniel Cook (44.44), Matthew Fadel (43.83), Jack Dunworth (44.20), and Dominick Wallace (42.97) teamed up for a 2:55.43.
Army posted a 1-2 punch in the men’s 100 free, with junior Billy Webber taking the title in 44.20, and Nate Hein coming in 2nd with a 44.30. Hein was the 2-time defending champion in the event, having swum a 44.01 to win in 2018, and 43.77 to win in 2019. Army sophomore Evan Zhang won the men’s 200 breast with a 1:55.80, defending his title. Last year, Zhang swam a 1:55.65 to win the event.
Navy sophomore Martina Thomas was the winner of the women’s 100 free, as well as a member of the winning Navy 400 free relay. Thomas swam a 49.69 to win the title in the women’s 100 free, beating out Lehigh’s Ann Foley (49.82) and Payton Miles (50.02). Miles got out to an early lead, flipping in 23.72 at the 50, but Thomas ran her down on the back half of the race. The title marks Thomas’ 2nd in a row. Last year, she won the race with a 49.72.
Thomas anchored Navy’s 400 free relay in 49.12, marking the 2nd fastest split in the field. The Navy relay was led off by Ali Kozlina in 50.67, with Sarah Sorensen following in 49.60, and Erin Scudder going next with a 50.12. Navy clocked a 3:19.51 to beat out Lehigh, who swam a 3:19.98. Payton Miles swam the fastest split in the field, anchoring the Lehigh relay in 49.07.
Navy sophomore Sydney Harrington won the women’s 200 fly in a new meet record of 1:55.24, beating out defending champion Delaney Walz, a Navy senior. Walz was the previous meet record holder with her winning time from last year’s championships – 1:57.34. Wlaz had won the event at the Patriot League Championships the past 3 years. Harrington holds the conference and Navy school records with her personal best 1:54.47.
Army freshman Gillian Burch won a tight race to take the women’s breaststroke title. Burch swam a 2:14.30, out-touching Loyola’s Emma Schouten by 0.07 seconds. Schouten took the early lead, splitting 30.05 and 33.89 on the first 2 50s, while Burch split 30.68 and 33.99. Burch then came home in 1:09.63 on the back half of the race, while Schouten swam 1:10.43 coming home. The event was wide open this year after Navy star Lauren Barber graduated last Spring. Barber swept the 200 breast during her career, winning the event the past 4 years.
Navy senior Lauren Miller nearly broke her own meet record en route to winning the women’s 200 back. Miller swam a 1:55.22, coming in just off her meet record of 1:55.14 from last year. The win marked Miller’s 3rd straight in the event. Navy also picked up 2nd and 3rd, with junior Ashley Boddiford (1:57.70) and freshman Elly Deas (1:59.57).
Navy senior Erin Scudder won the women’s mile, swimming a 16:28.26 to beat defending champion Maddie Hartigan of Bucknell (16:31.56). Hartigan took the event with a 16:44.99 last year, marking a huge improvement for the sophomore. Bucknell freshman Sabrina Vumbacco was also under the winning time from last year, taking 3rd with a 16:44.71.