Patriot League Championships – Men and Women
- Wednesday, February 17 – Saturday, February 20, 2016
- S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD (Eastern Time Zone)
- Defending Champion: Navy men & Navy women (results)
- Live results
- Live video
- Championship Central
While Navy continued to lead the women’s and men’s standings on Day Three of Patriot League Championships, a battle brewed among contenders for the runner-up position. Army West Point had a huge day in the women’s meet and moved ahead of Boston University to take second. The Black Knights were also in second on the men’s side. BU was third and Bucknell fourth in both meets, but strong swims all around kept the meet close heading into the final day of competition.
Navy’s Kaitlyn O’Reilly earned the first win of the night for the Midshipmen with a 4:16.74 in the women’s 400 IM. Teammate Jenny Smith (4:18.90) was runner-up for the second year straight. Army West Point’s Jessica Burkett (4:22.76), fourth last year, earned the bronze medal this time around when she just out-touched Lehigh’s Courtney Patterson (4:22.87) and BU’s Danielle Yoon (4:22.94).
Defending champion Chris Devlin of Bucknell broke the Patriot League record, set in prelims by BU’s Garrett Chin, winning the men’s 400 IM in 3:49.04. Chin took second with 3:49.76, while Navy’s Brayden Lauffer completed the podium in 3:50.49, less than a half-second in front of 2015 runner-up, Bucknell’s Louis Behnen (3:50.98).
In a repeat of last year’s 100 fly final, Rachael Dudley (53.95) of Navy was first and Army West Point’s Molly Mucciarone (54.31), second. 2016 marked the fourth consecutive silver-medal finish for Mucciarone in this event. Third place this year went to Julimar Avila of Boston University (54.60).
In the men’s 100 fly, it was the third victory in a row for Navy senior Jonathan Debaugh. His final performance was his fastest, and it gave him both the meet and the Patriot League records with 47.01. Teammate Ryan Bailey was just behind in second with 47.42, while Army West Point’s Jason Rodriguez came in third with 47.94.
Navy teammates Kenzie Margroum and Maddie Thompson went 1-2 in the 200 free for the second time in two years. Margroum erased the League and meet records this time, though, with a speedy 1:45.87. It was her second victory of the meet, as she won the 50 free on Thursday. Thompson came to the wall in 1:47.65, a second ahead of teammate Casey Lawson (1:48.67).
After his third-place finish in the 500 free on Thursday, Navy senior Thomas Duvall made a big statement with his win in the men’s 200 free: Duvall clocked a 1:35.20, tying his League and meet records from 2015 when he led off Navy’s 800 free relay with the exact same time. Noah Martin, gold medalist in the 500 free, was runner-up with 1:36.29. Navy teammate Joseph Jaime took third in 1:36.74.
Navy freshman Lauren Barber set the pool on fire with a 1:00.77 win in the 100 breast. Barber took down the meet and pool records, and was .05 off the League mark. Navy teammates Ellen Bradford (1:01.83) and Hanna Gillcrist (1:01.86) placed second and third. Gillcrist won this event as a freshman in 2014. It was Bradford’s fourth consecutive silver medal.
Loyola University’s Ben Cono edged defending champion Marlin Brutkiewicz, 52.92 to 53.01, for the men’s 100 breast title. Cono earned the meet record but missed the League and pool marks by .04. Lafayette senior Greg Grewal was third with 53.55.
League and meet record-holder Emma Levendoski of Bucknell won her fourth consecutive 100 back title going 53.95. Teammate Rachel Perry was third with 55.31, while Navy’s Elizabeth Graeff slipped between the two Bison for a second place finish in 55.08.
Navy senior David Carlson improved on his sixth-place finish from 2015 to win the men’s 100 back in 47.88. Josh Sembrano of Army West Point was runner-up with 48.59, just out-touching Bucknell’s Jack Robinson (48.70).
Navy’s Nate Belch won his second 1-meter diving title in a row; this time he led a 1-2-3 Midshipmen sweep of the event. Belch scored 327.50 points ahead of Joe Kaszubowski (321.40) and Frank Love (298.60).
The Navy women set a pool, meet, and League record in the 200 free relay Maddie Thompson, Hannah Briant, Ally Warnimont, and Margroum came to the wall in 1:30.94. Lehigh’s Carolyn Koch, Julianne Koch, Courtney Ferreira, and Kaitlyn Ruffing placed second in 1:32.10. Army West Point’s Mucciarone, Kelly Hamilton, Bailey Smith, and Monica Sowinski went 1:32.75 for third.
Navy’s Jamie, Bjorn Davis, Duvall, and Michael Bundas went 1:19.14 for a victory in the men’s 200 free relay and a new meet record. Army West Point’s Brandon McCredie, Chris Szekely, Nick Treiberg, and Evin Rude went 1:20.11 for second, while JT Nangle, Steven Grune, Charlie McFarland, and Robinson of Bucknell scored the bronze with 1:22.00.
Women’s Scores
- Naval Academy 650.5
- Army West Point 361
- Boston University 343.5
- Bucknell University 282
- Lehigh University 262
- Colgate University 144
- Loyola University 135
- American University 114
- Lafayette Swimming 87
- Holy Cross, College of the 63
Men’s Scores
- Naval Academy 694.5
- Army West Point 438
- Boston University 358.5
- Bucknell University 323
- Loyola University 221.5
- Lehigh University 162
- Colgate University 138.5
- Lafayette Swimming 117
- Holy Cross, College of the 78
- American University 63