On Nov. 11, 2023, VMI men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams packed VMI’s Aquatic Center with a home meet against four visiting schools, University of North Carolina – Asheville, Howard University, New Jersey Institute of Technology, and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. The Keydet men’s team won two of its three meets and set three records in the process, while the women’s team had some top performances but fell in three meets. UNC – Asheville does not have a men’s team, and NJIT does not field women’s swimming and diving team.
The VMI men defeated UMBC 202.50-94.50 and bested Howard University 164-126—two programs that defeated the Keydets last winter.
Men’s Top Swimmers:
- Elijah Fields ’27 set team and freshmen records in the 200 fly, finishing third in 1:54.54. He won the 200 IM in 1:54.58, finishing ahead of 16 other competitors, and placed fourth in the 100 fly in 50.57.
- Matt Picard ’27 broke the freshmen record in the 100 free in 45.79 to finish second. He was also the top VMI finisher in the 50 free (21.63).
- Chase Lane ’24 won the 100 breast in 57.10.
- Sam Castle ’27 came in second in the 200 free in 1:43.08 and was third in the 200 back in 1:54.92.
- Ethan Griffith ’25 finished the 200 breast in 2:05.38.
- Chino Vera ’24 completed the 100 free in 46.90 to finish third and swam a 53.05 in the 100 back to take fifth.
- Layne Tucker ’27 was second in the 200 IM (1:55.34), third in the 200 breast (2:08.67), and fourth in the 100 breast (57.70).
- Tee Bowles ’26 finished fifth in the 500 free in 4:55.69 and swam a 10:13 in the 1000 free to take sixth.
- Both Keydet men’s relay teams finished second. The 200 medley relay squad of Tinn Nguyen ’27, Lane, Fields, and Picard swam a 1:32.82, while the 200 free relay team of Picard, Vera, Castle, and Sam Cosner ’24 finished in 1:24.43.
Women’s Swimming Superlatives:
- Rachel Greathouse ’25 was fourth in the 500 free in 5:19.33 and fifth in the 1000 free in 11:09.65.
- Noelle Tong ’26 finished the 100 back in 59.41 to place sixth and was seventh in the 50 free in 25.11.
- Walden Wilder ’27 was sixth in the 200 IM in 2:15.05 and seventh in the 200 breast in 2:31.88.
- Anne Bowles ’24 was seventh in the 100 breast in 1:07.12, and Jillian Maher ’24 took seventh in the 100 free in 55.18 and was eighth in the 100 fly in 1:01.52.
- Sarah Liebenow ’24 placed ninth in the 200 free in 2:06.58, 10th in the 200 fly in 2:27.60, and 12th in the 200 IM in 2:21.65.
- Carter Wasser ’25 was 11th in the 200 back in 2:18.50.
- The 200 free relay of Kate Taylor ’24, Maher, Tong, and Wilder took third in 1:39.89, and the 200 medley relay team of Tong, Bowles, Maher, and Taylor was fifth in 1:50.45.
Diving’s Best:
- Lane Jones ’26 scored a personal record of 229.05 on the 1M, earning him first place against Howard University and NJIT and second place against UMBC. Jones earned another personal record of 208.65 on 3M, taking second against HU, NJIT, and UMBC.
- Ryder Creal ’27 posted a personal best of 193.45 on 3M, earning third place against HU, NJIT, and UMBC. Creal’s personal record on the 1M (162) earned him third place against UMBC and HU and fourth against NJIT.
- Craig Swain ’25 also had a personal best of 126.25 on 1M, placing fourth against HU and UMBC and fifth against NJIT.
- Ella Davenport’s [’26] score of 137.75 on 3M and 141.20 on 1M earned her third place against HU and fourth against UMBC and UNCA for both events.
Complete Team Scores
Men
VMI 202.50, UMBC 94.50
NJIT 177, VMI 122
NJIT 208, UMBC 89
VMI 184, Howard 113
Howard 164, UMBC 126
NJIT 203, Howard 95
Women
UMBC 228, VMI 66
UNC Asheville 242, VMI 52
UNC Asheville 204, UMBC 95
Howard 191, VMI 92
UMBC 172, Howard 125
UNC Asheville 202, Howard 95
Editor’s Note: This article was first published at vmikeydets.com.
