The Tribe men have now won back-to-back CAA titles.
Tribe Men Win 2016 Swimming/Diving #CAAChamps
Tim McDonnell
Final Championship Results |
Swimming/Diving Championship Central
RICHMOND, Va. (February 27, 2016) – William & Mary convincingly captured its second consecutive Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Men’s Swimming and Diving title on Saturday night at the Collegiate School Aquatics Center.
The Green and Gold men trailed just once in the team standings – after Thursday’s relays - over the four-day meet and collected a new CAA Championship-high 969.50 total points. Last season, William & Mary made program history by winning its first CAA trophy.
Drexel enjoyed a historic championship and made program history with its highest finish all-time, garnering 572 points for second place. Dragons’ senior Joel Berryman was picked by the league’s head coaches as the Men’s Most Outstanding Swimmer of the Meet. Berryman won three individual titles – the 50 free, 100 free (new championship record, 43.56) and the 100 back.
Berryman and William & Mary senior Jeremiah O’Donnell each accounted for 60 individual points to lead the men’s championship competitors. O’Donnell was named 2015 CAA Championship Most Outstanding Swimmer of the Meet.
Towson finished third with 533 points; Delaware placed fourth with 502 points and UNCW finished fifth (429.50). In a vote by the league’s head coaches, the Tribe’s Matt Crispino was picked as the Men’s Swimming Coach of the Year for the third consecutive season. Crispino, currently in his ninth season at the helm of his ala mater, also was named CAA Women’s Coach of the Year.
Saturday's Finals included the women's and men's 1,650-Yard Freestyle, men's and women's 200-Yard Backstroke, men's and women's 100-Yard Freestyle, men's and women's 200-Yard Breaststroke, men's and women's 200-Yard Butterfly and finally, the men's and women's 400-Yard Freestyle Relays.
The men’s 1,650 free was a good one, as William & Mary’s Conrad Zamparello earned gold, touching the wall in 15:31.99. Delaware’s Alex Tooley claimed second in 15:38.26 and teammate Cory Camp was third in 15:39.54.
In the 200 back, Will Manion of W&M defended his title from a year ago. Manion touched the wall first in 1:45.19, Towson’s Dominic Breschi earned silver with a time of 1:45.48, and the Tribe’s Alex Henderson finished third in 1:46.74.
The Dragons’ Joel Berryman entered Saturday having already won two individual titles – the 50 free and the 100 back – and made it three with another medal in the men’s 100 free. Berryman did so in impressive fashion, setting a new championship meet record in (43.56). Billy Russell of William & Mary and Nicholas Badsky of Delaware followed in order.
In eerily similar fashion to last season, Tribe senior Jeremiah O'Donnell obtained his third individual meet title after winning the 200 breast. It was the second consecutive season in which O’Donnell won three individual titles. O’Donnell, who already earned gold in both individual medley events, finished first in 1:57.36. UNCW’s Will Ryan was second in 1:59.69 and Drexel’s Joseph Brown was third in 2:00.50.
In the 200 fly, Towson freshman Jack Saunderson set a new championship mark. Interestingly, this was the third straight season that the men’s 200 fly saw a new record get set. Saunderson touched the wall in 1:45.02, followed by W&M’s Tommy Kealy (1:46.59) and Drexel’s Kyle Lukens (1:46.65).
The final event of the championship was fittingly won by the Tribe. Joseph Eiden, Kyle Neri, Will Manion and Billy Russell excelled in the 400 free relays for a first-place time of 2:57.23. Delaware and Drexel rounded out the podium spots.
Last weekend at the University of Delaware during the Diving Championships, Drexel senior David Sanchez was named Men’s Most Outstanding Diver of the Meet and UD coach Brian Coonce was tabbed CAA Men’s and Women’s Diving Coach of the Year.
2016 Championship Meet Award Winners
Men's Swimming Coach of the Year: Matt Crispino, William & Mary
Men's Most Outstanding Swimmer of the Meet: Joel Berryman, Senior, Drexel
Men's Diving Coach of the Year: Brian Coonce, Delaware
Men's Most Outstanding Diver of the Meet: David Sanchez, Senior, Drexel
Men’s Teams Scores – Final
William & Mary (969.50)
Drexel (572)
Towson (533)
Delaware (502)
UNCW (429.50)
For more information on the 2016 CAA Swimming Championships, visit our official
championship pages under the championships tab at caasports.com.