COMPLETE RESULTS
COLLEGE PARK, MD --- The College of New Jersey captured the 2023-24 NJAC Men's Swimming & Diving title by way of the inaugural conference championship meet, held at the University of Maryland from Feb. 15-18.
The Lions' historic team championship came off a stellar four day weekend performance that saw the program take gold in 15 total events, with 21 overall podium finishers, and snapping eight school records to score 1,564 points as a team.
The championship also represents the third won under the helm of head coach David Dow, with the previous two coming as a result of the program securing the best regular season conference dual meet records.
Team Standings
1. TCNJ - 1,564
2. Merchant Marine - 1,377
3. Rowan - 1,059
4. Salisbury - 1,052
5. Roger Williams - 640
6. Mary Washington - 607
7. Montclair State - 548
8. Ramapo - 225
9. William Paterson - 188
SUNDAY RECAP
NJAC swimmers hit a total of 16 NCAA 'B' cuts to wrap up the final day of the inaugural championship meet.
TCNJ's Gavin Formon led off the finals session in the 1650 freestyle with a gold-medal-winning time of 15:32.88 to come in under the NCAA standard. He was joined on the podium by Rowan's Gavin Danze (15:52.33) and Salisbury's Matt Merke (15:54.10).
The top spot again went to a Lion in the 200 backstroke, with Ryan Higgins claiming the conference title with a winning 1:45.88. He hit the 'B' cut mark in both the prelims (1:46.62) and the finals. Merchant Marine's Teague Mayer earned silver (1:49.93) and TCNJ's Andrew Walter finished third (1:51.19).
James McChesney added another national performance to his weekend, racing the third-fastest 100 freestyle time in NCAA Division III to claim NJAC gold. He clocked in at 43.55, well under the 'B' standard after having put up a 'B' time in the prelims as well (44.67). Roger Williams' Blake Anderson hit the NCAA time as well, touching in 45.09 for silver. Ramapo rookie Jack Hill earned the bronze medal with a time of 45.18.
There were 'B' cut times all over the place in the 200 breaststroke, with the top four finishers in the final coming in under that time. Three of the top four also hit 'B' times in the morning prelims for a total of seven in the event. TCNJ's Ryan Vandeveen claimed gold with a winning 1:58.76. Rowan's Michael Fracchiolla finished second in the final (1:59.30) and TCNJ's Shawn Kushner was third (2:01.11). Merchant Marine's Luke Dankert, who finished fourth in the final, was one of the three who earned two 'B' cuts on the day.
Rowan's Alex Volin picked up gold in the 200 butterfly, posting two 'B' marks on the day. He swam a 1:49.18 in the prelim before posting a 1:49.47 in the final. He was joined on the podium by Mary Washington's Johnathan Zimmer (1:50.58) and Rowan's TJ Moderski (1:51.59).
Merchant Marine swept the men's 3-meter diving event. Devin Dyer earned 322.80 points to claim gold. Teammates Brendan Griffiths (275.75) and Thomas Cable (259.75) won silver and bronze, respectively.
The meet wrapped up with an exciting 400 freestyle relay. TCNJ's quartet of McChesney, Lukas Blach, Richard Park, and Milo Whitley claimed the final gold medals of the weekend with a winning time of 3:00.30 - also an NCAA 'B' cut time. Merchant Marine's group of Matthew Wachendorfer, Barrie Snyder, Heath Lewis, and Daniel Scherrer won silver by just over four-tenths of a second, combining for a 3:03.10. Rowan's relay squad of Paul Riter, Volin, Toby Cahnbley, and Jack Watson earned bronze with a time of 3:03.51.