SMITHFIELD, R.I. – With the water finally calm, the Bryant University men’s swimming and diving team can look back at their performance at the 2016 MAAC Swimming and Diving Championships and know they put together one of the greatest championship performances in program history.
The Black and Gold not only posted their best finish in school history (third), but also blew their previous point total out of the water, scoring 511 points. In doing so, Bryant broke all but five school records and took home 11 medals over the course of the four-day event.
Sophomore Ben Schulte (Tumon, Guam) dominated once again, winning three individual gold medals for the second-straight season. He won the 200 IM, the 100 breast and the 200 breast, setting school records of 54.13 and 1:59.97 in the latter two. In addition, Schulte was also a member of the four of the five school-record relay teams, helping the 200 and 400 medley and the 400 and 800 free relay teams set a new standard. While leading the 400 free relay team to a bronze medal, Schulte also set the school record in the 100 free with a time of 45.00 on the first leg.
Classmate Colin Curtin (Wethersfield, Conn.) also enjoyed an outstanding meet, setting three individual school records and helping four relay teams set new program marks. He set the school record in the 500 free (4:32.70), won a gold and set the school record in the 100 back (49.88) and finished second and set a school record in the 200 back (1:49.06). Curtin was also a member of the 200 and 400 medley relay teams and the 400 and 800 free relay teams.
Bryant’s other individual school records came from freshman Charlie Broe (New Windsor, N.Y.)and sophomore Benon Boyadjian (Middlebury, Conn.). Broe set the program mark in the 1000 free with a time of 9:33.52, while Boyadjian set the program mark in the 100 fly with a time of 50.05. Classmate Tavish Boyle (Springfield, N.J.) did not set a school record but earned a silver medal in the 200 breast, finishing behind Schulte.
The Black and Gold also saw several swimmers set school records in the same event over the weekend. Oliver French (Nashua, N.H.) also bested the previous 1000 free time with a finish of 9:40.85, Boyadjian beat the previous record in the 100 back (51.43) along with Curtin and Robert Beauchemin (Holliston, Mass.) broke the school record in the 200 back (1:52.69) along with Curtin.
As they have done in the past, the Bulldogs’ relay teams stole the show at the championships. Bryant broke all five relay records and earned a medal in all five for the first time in program history. The Black and Gold opened the championships by setting records in the 200 medley relay and the 800 free relay on the first night. Curtin, Schulte, senior Joshua Bjornberg (Wallingford, Conn.) and Boyadjian combined to win a silver medal with a new record time of 1:30.17 in the 200 medley relay, while Broe and junior Kyle Koziol (Farmington, Conn.) joined Schulte and Curtin in the 800 free relay. The quartet set a new program mark with at time of 6:46.30.
The Bulldogs went on to set school records in the 200 free relay (1:23.32), 400 free relay (3:03.70) and the 400 medley relay (3:18.24). They won a silver in the 200 free relay, a bronze in the 400 free relay and a silver in the 400 medley relay. Junior Zachary Hannon (Marlborough, Conn.), Boyadjian, junior Boris Paraliticci (Saunderstown, R.I.) and sophomore George Sommerville(Pittsfield, Mass.) teamed up in the 200 free, while Schulte, Hannon, Boyadjian and Curtin handled the 400 free. The 400 medley relay team consisted of Curtin, Schulte, Boyadjian and Hannon.
Swimming news courtesy of Bryant Swimming & Diving.
Way to go Oliver!