2026 Patriot League Championships
- Dates: Wednesday, February 18–Saturday, February 21
- Location: Lejeune Hall, Annapolis, MD
- Defending Champions: Navy women (13x); Army West Point men (1x)
- Live Results
- Live Video: ESPN+
- Championship Central
- Teams: American, Army West Point, Boston U, Bucknell, Colgate, Holy Cross, Lafayette, Lehigh, Loyola Maryland, Navy
- Day 1 Results PDF
Records fell on the first night of competition at the 2026 Patriot League Championships and the Navy men highlighted the night by punching their ticket to the 2026 NCAA Championships in the 200 medley relay. The team touched in a 1:23.59 to sneak under the NCAA ‘A’ cut of a 1:23.61. That also set a new meet record, breaking Army’s time of a 1:23.74 from a year ago.
The relay consisted of Ben Irwin, Juan Mora, Lachlan Andrew, and Ben Denman-Grimm. They were 3rd until the freestyle leg when Denman-Grimm blasted a 18.58 anchor leg for the win to pass Army and Loyola-MD. Loyola MD ended up touching 2nd in a 1:23.69, just missing the ‘A’ cut by 0.08 seconds. Army touched 3rd in a 1:23.80 but hold the League record after swimming a 1:22.95 earlier this year in its dual meet against Navy.
The Navy men also swam to a win in the 800 free relay, winning by over 10 seconds. Dean Jobes, Xavier Sohovich, Martin Merecinsky, and Ben Stankovich combined for a 6:16.34. That broke Navy’s old League Record of a 6:18.54 set in 2021 as well as the meet record of a 6:18.62 set last year by Army.
Navy heads into day 2 with a 42 point lead over Army, also aided by the diving team as Navy went 1-2-3 in the men’s 3 meter. Finnian Gelbach won the event in a 364.95.
The Army women swept the first evening of relays, with the team’s 200 medley relay setting a new conference record. That marked Army’s first win in the event since 2020 as well as only their 4th win in the event in program history.
Army’s relay of Angie McKane, Catriona Gilmore, Sydney Braeger, and Tiana Mescher swam to a 1:38.37. That broke Army’s own league record of a 1:38.48 that the team swam at their dual meet against Navy back in December 2025. McKane got the relay off to a strong start with a 24.42 and they never trailed. Navy’s relay touched 2nd in a 1:38.85.
In the women’s 800 free relay, Army also earned the win as Jenna Hart, Elle Burke, Molly Webber, and Sydney Braeger swam to a 7:13.83. Webber notably split a 1:45.47, the fastest split of the field. Navy touched 2nd in a 7:14.39.
Men’s Scores Thru Day 1
- Navy – 215
- Army – 173
- Boston U – 159
- Bucknell – 147
- Loyola MD – 135
- Holy Cross – 126
- Lehigh / American – 98
- –
- Lafayette – 96
- Colgate – 91
Women’s Scores Thru Day 1
- Army – 128
- Navy – 112
- Bucknell – 104
- Loyola MD/Lehigh – 100
- –
- Boston U/ Colgate – 94
- –
- American – 92
- Holy Cross – 84
- Lafayette – 68
