The Massachusetts men’s swimming and diving team has been selected as the favorite to win the 2017 Atlantic 10 Conference Swimming and Diving Championship, according to a poll conducted of the league’s head coaches. The league announced the poll Thursday with several A-10 teams beginning their seasons this weekend.
The Minutemen are in search of their third consecutive A-10 title and 17th swimming and diving title overall after finishing with a total of 671 points at last year’s championship. UMass, who has won 10 of the last 12 titles, returns sophomore Kellen Gray, the 2016 Most Outstanding Rookie Performer, as well as junior Trent Kindvall, the 2016 Most Outstanding Diver. Head coach Russ Yarworth and diving coach Mandy Hixon were awarded 2016 A-10 Coach of the Year and Diving Coach of the Year, respectively.
St. Bonaventure, the A-10 runner-up in 2016 and 2015 and the A-10 champions in 2013 and 2014, has been predicted to finish second this season, tied with George Washington, who finished fifth in last year’s championship. They are followed by La Salle, Saint Louis, George Mason, Fordham and Davidson.
The 2017 A-10 Men’s Swimming and Diving Championship will be held February 15-18 at the SPIRE Institute located in Geneva, Ohio.
2017 Men’s Swimming and Diving Predicted Order of Finish
Number in parenthesis indicates first-place votes.
1. Massachusetts (6) – 62
2. St. Bonaventure (1) – 50
George Washington (1) – 50
4. La Salle – 44
5. Saint Louis – 26
6. George Mason – 24
7. Fordham – 16
Davidson – 16
Courtesy of the Atlantic 10 Conference.