The men’s swimming and diving team eclipsed 1,000 points en route to first place among eight different teams in the Keydet Invitational at the VMI Aquatic Center Nov. 14–16, 2025.—Photo courtesy Barbee World Photography.
VMI swimming and diving turned in standout performances at the 3-day Keydet Invite in Lexington, with the men’s team eclipsing 1,000 points to win the eight-team meet by a 130-point margin. The women’s team added six first-place finishes on the way to 635.50 points and a strong second-place showing, as the Keydets combined to break 15 program records Nov. 14–16, 2025.
The men’s swimming and diving team eclipsed 1,000 points en route to first place among eight different teams and were 130 points ahead of second place.
Ian Lutz ’29 secured a new rat and team 50 free record (20.21) that landed him on the podium. Hudson Weinhagen ’29, diver, scored his way to a rat record and first place in the 1-meter with 287.93 points. Also breaking records and winning events was the 200 free relay squad with Sam Calder ’28, Matthew Picard ’27, Sam Castle ’27, and Lutz (1:20.95).
Stephen Russell ’28 started the finals session with a first-place finish in the 500 free (4:31.98). Layne Tucker ’27 landed fourth in the 200 IM (1:55.92), while Picard tallied fourth in the 50 free (20.72) and then second in the 100 fly (49.22).
Scoring big points after a second-place finish was the 400 medley relay team with Castle, Tucker, Picard, and Lutz (3:19.47).
Day two saw two records smashed, starting on the boards with freshman Dorian Albee ’29 breaking the 3-meter rat record (244.05), followed by another Lutz specialty in the 100 fly, resulting in a new rat and team record (48.76) during prelims, then first place in the A-Finals (48.94).
Russell continued his dominance with another first place, this time in the 400 IM (4:00.29). Jack Mills ’28 followed up with the Keydets’ second-straight gold medal during the 200 free (1:40.96), before Calder scored third (1:41.43).
Castle picked up first in the 100 back (49.34), right after anchoring the 200 medley relay team with Tucker, Picard, and Lutz to first place (1:29.14).
After winning the 100 back on day two, Castle returned for the clean sweep, tallying first in the 200 back (1:50.67). Joshua Wolf ’28 nabbed third in the 200 back (1:53.56), followed by Calder shortly after in fourth (1:53.97).
Lutz would break yet another rat record, this time in the 100 free (44.96) for first place. Picard soon followed in second (45.25). Later, in the 200 fly, sophomore Kayleb Eldridge ’28 scored points for VMI with a third-place finish (1:51.91).
Setting new records in new events were Lane Jones ’26 and Weinhagen, with Jones earning 180.98 points and Weinhagen earning 169.13 points in the platform dive.
Capping off the day was the 400 free relay squad of Picard, Calder, Castle, and Lutz, who earned first place (2:59.37).
VMI women’s swimming and diving broke 15 records during the event, including six first-place marks. VMI totaled 635.50 points, good enough for second place in the eight-team invitational. Winning the Keydet Invite title was the University of Lynchburg with 664.50 points.
The 200 free relay team with Noelle Tong ’26, Lacy Delzell ’29, Valeria Paulson ’29, and Mackenzie Byrne ’28 secured a new team record (1:36.42) that put them atop the pack. Also breaking records was Carissa Witte ’29, who shattered the rat and team records in the 500 free (5:12.92), good enough for third place.
The women’s swimming and diving team broke 15 records during the event and earned second place.—Photo courtesy Barbee World Photography.
During the finals session, Tong scored second place in the 50 free (24.16). Tong’s prelim time (24.14) was atop the 43 competitors at the invite. Emerson Cosner ’28 added more points for the Keydets with a second-place mark in the 100 fly (58.93).
On the boards, it was Isabelle Haer ’28 leading the charge with gold in the one-meter, earning 247.05 points.
On the second day of the invite, Delzell blazed through the 200 free (1:55.68) en route to breaking the rat and team record and second place. Back for more, Witte snapped the team and rat 400 IM record (4:49.17) to secure third place. Tong would tally third in the 100 back (58.29).
After nabbing first in the one-meter on Friday, Haer followed up with first in the 3-meter with 271.28 points.
After a stellar first two days, Tong capped off her weekend with first place in the 100 free (51.84), setting a new team record. Byrne was right behind, tying for second (53.39). In the 200 breast, Maddie Wolfe ’29 picked up the top time in the B-final and set a new rat record (2:30.46).
Those breaking records on day three included Avery Shuping ’29 in the 1,650 free (17:54.41) and 1,000 free (10:50.95), setting a new rat and team record in both races.
In diving, a new event led to more records being created and broken. Haer earned the first-ever team record for the platform dive with a score of 144.23, while Nicole Segler ’29 set the rat record in the platform dive with 114.15 points.
Closing out the invite with a bang was the 400 free relay team with Tong, Delzell, Paulson, and Byrne, breaking the team record and earning second (3:33.11).
Editor’s Note: These articles were first published on vmikeydets.com.
