2024 Atlantic 10 Fan Guide: George Washington Looks Strong To Defend Titles

2024 ATLANTIC 10 CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Feb. 21-24
• Hampton Virginia Aquaplex
• Championship Central
• Defending Champions: George Washington (Women 3x) George Washinton (Men 2x)
• Teams: Davidson, Duquesne (women), Fordham, George Mason, George Washington, La Salle, Massachusetts, Rhode Island (women), Richmond (women), St. Louis, St. Bonaventure

The Atlantic-10 Championships will kick off on February 21st, 2024. After taking place in Geneva, Ohio the last few years, the meet will now take place in Hampton, Virginia.

WOMEN’S PREVIEW:

The George Washington women won their third straight title last year and look set up to make it four straight this year. According to the Swimulator, the George Washington women are over 300 point favorites.

Phoebe Wright was one of the team’s top scorers last year as she won the 200 free, was 2nd in the 200 back, and 3rd in the 500 free. Wright leads the conference this season in both the 200 freestyle and 200 backstroke. She also has the third-fastest 100 back.

Despite not swimming conference-leading times this season Julia Knox is one to watch for. Knox notably did not compete at the team’s mid-season, meaning the addition of Knox to the team’s already 300-point lead is huge. Knox is the defending conference champion in the 200 IM, winning by almost two seconds. She also was 2nd in the 400 IM and 3rd in the 200 breast.

George Washington has a strong distance freestyle crew as Ava Topolewski and Zoe Schneider hold the top two times in the conference this season in both the 500 and 1650 freestyles.

Fordham looks to be George Washington’s biggest challenger. Ainhoa Martin leads the conference in three events this season, the 200 breast, 200 IM, and 400 IM. Her 200 breast is notably the fastest in the conference by four seconds as she swam a 2:10.97 at midseason. It notably took a 2:09.68 to qualify for NCAAs this past season, so somewhere in the sub-2:10 range is something to watch out for coming from Martin. Martin’s time from midseason was already faster than she swam last year at A-10s where she finished second.

Manon Compagner also leads the way for Fordham with the 2nd fastest times in the conference this season in the 50 and 100 freestyles as well as a conference-leading time in the 100 butterfly. Compagner is impactful for both the team’s freestyle and medley relays.

Duquesne’s Orla Egan has had a huge junior season. Egan scored 26 points for the team last season finishing 5th in the 1650 free and making the ‘B’ final of both the 200 and 500 freestyles. This year, Egan looks to make three ‘A’ finals as she holds the 3rd fastest time in the conference in the 500 and 1650 frees and the 4th fastest time in the 200 free.

Summer Pierce of UMass made the ‘A’ final in the 200 fly and the ‘B’ final of the 100 fly and 200 IM last year but looks set up to make three ‘A’ finals this year with the 2nd fastest time in both butterfly events as well as the 3rd fastest time in the 200 IM.

Sprinter Ali Tyler is huge for George Mason with conference-leading times this season in the 50 and 100 freestyles. The junior won the 50 free, 100 back, and 200 back conference titles last year but did not swim the 200 back at midseasons.

Davidson is led by breaststroker Anna Newman who will look to make both breaststroke ‘A’ finals again. St. Bonaventure is led by backstroke Anna Forjan and butterflyer Silvana Cabrera, and the two combine well for the team’s medley relays.

IMer Felicia Rogell looks to score for La Salle and make an ‘A’ finals while Richmond looks to be led by its breaststroke and sprint freestylers.

Distance freestyler Emily Leonard is key to success for Saint Louis and was the team’s highest scorer last year. Hannah Benavides only scored four points last year for Rhode Island but has ‘A’ final potential in both breaststrokes this season.

Races To Watch:

100 freestyle: Ali Tyler of George Mason leads the conference but did not swim the event last year, instead opting for the 200 backstroke on the final day. Manon Comagner of Fordham is the only other swimmer to swim sub-50 this season.

200 butterfly: Moriah Freitas of George Washington will look to defend her title this year and is the fastest this season with a 1:59..51. Only Summer Pierce of UMass has also been under the 2:00 mark.

2023 FINAL STANDINGS

1. George Washington – 794.5
2. Richmond – 479.5
3. George Mason – 414
4. Duquesne – 413.5
5. Fordham – 413
6. Davidson – 310
7. UMass – 255
8. La Salle – 218.5
9. St. Bonaventure – 190
10. Saint Louis – 119
11. Rhode Island – 83

SWIMSWAM WOMEN’S PREDICTIONS

As the George Washington women holds a sizable lead coming in, the battle is probably for second-fifth like last year. With diving factored in, Duquesne has an advantage there.

1. George Washington
2. Fordham
3. Duquesne

MEN’S PREVIEW:

Like the George Washington women, the men also hold as favorites heading into the meet according to the Swimulator. They come in as a 200-point favorite over Fordham.

The George Washington men won a total of 12 events last year, highlighted by winning the 200 medley, 200 free, and 800 free relay. Despite being DQed in the 400 medley relay, the team still won by over 250 points.

Djurdje Matic led the way with wins in the 100 free and 100 fly as well as a 2nd place finish in the 50 free. This year, Matic leads the conference so far in all three events.

Connor Rodgers will also look to defend numerous titles after winning the 200 fly and 400 IM a year ago. Rodgers leads the conference in the 400 IM this season by over seven seconds. The 400 IM will look to be a huge event for the team as the currently hold the 1, 2, 4, and 5th fastest times in the conference this season.

Fordham is the next biggest challenger according to the Swimulator but Davidson had three diving finalists last year while Fordham had 0 which is something to factor in.

After transferring from Kenyon, Noah Althoff of Fordham finished 6th in the 100 and 200 breaststrokes last year. This year, Althoff has already been faster in the 100 breast and holds the top time in the conference in the 200 IM where he will look to gain huge additional points with a third ‘A’ final event.

Christian Taylor adjusted to short course yards well as a freshman from Australia last year making the ‘A’ final in the 50 free and 100 back. Taylor’s success has continued and he will look to make three ‘A’ finals this year.

In the pool, Davidson is led by Dylan Felt who is the defending conference champion in the 500 and 1650 freestyles. He also finished 2nd in the 200 free. So far this season, Felt holds the top times in the conference in the 200 and 1650 frees. Felt earned Rookie of the Year honors at last year’s meet.

George Mason’s only conference champion Tate Anderson will look to defend his title in the 200 freestyle and potentially add another title in the 200 back and/or 200 IM. He leads the conference in the 200 backstroke this season.

Alexander Behr was St. Bonaventure’s highest swimming finalist last year as he finished 2nd in the 200 butterfly and currently holds the top time in the conference. Saint Louis’s Alex Daw is a potential threat to make the ‘A’ finals in both backstroke events.

Sammy Quigg of UMass is huge to the team with some of the top sprint free times in the conference, which also is huge for the team’s relays. Andrea Savoca has burst on to the scene in his first year with La Salle and will look to make waves in the 100 breast as he currently has the fastest time in the conference.

Races To Watch:

200 backstroke: Three men sit in the 1:46 range this season. Tate Anderson of George Mason leads the way. Anderson was 2nd last year in the event with a 1:44.61 about a second behind George Washington’s Karol Mlynarczyk who won in a 1:43.10. Mlynarczyk currently has the 2nd fastest time in the conference this season.

200 freestyle: The top five swims this season are all separated by less than a second. Anderson of George Mason and David Felt of Davidson were separated by just 0.02 seconds in the final last year and Felt swam 0.21 seconds faster than Anderson at midseasons this year. Expect another close battle between the two (and more).

2023 FINAL STANDINGS

1. George Washington – 783
2. George Mason – 507.5
3. UMass – 458
4. Davidson – 456.5
5. Fordham – 408.5
6. St. Bonaventure – 357
7. La Salle – 278
8. Saint Louis – 188.5

SWIMSWAM MEN’S PREDICTIONS

1. George Washington
2. Davidson
3. Fordham

The George Washington men come in as favorites and that looks to hold. Davidson has a slight advantage in diving which might be enough to overtake Fordham.