Courtesy: Bryant Athletics
Edison, N.J. – The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference will be celebrating its 40th anniversary throughout the 2020-21 academic year. To celebrate the history of the conference, the MAAC made a 40th-anniversary swimming and diving team. The Bryant men’s swimming and diving team have three alumni that made the list-Micah Ornelas, Graham Beck, and Ben Schulte.
Micah Orenlas (2018) – Ornelas competed for the Bulldogs as a graduate student during the 2018-19 season, in his lone year with the Black and Gold. At the 2019 MAAC Championships, Ornelas won gold medals in the 100 fly (46.80), 200 fly (1:45.88), and 200 IM with a time of 1:46.58 and was named the MAAC swimmer of the meet. All three of Ornelas times broke the MAAC records and qualified for an NCAA B Cut. Ornelas also owns the school record in the 50 free (20.44), 100 fly (46.70), 200 fly (1:45.18), 200 IM (1:46.58), and 400 IM (3:55.76). He capped off one of the best swimming seasons of all time by winning the Bryant University Athlete of the Year (individual sport).
Graham Beck (2011-2015) – Beck had a historic career with the Bulldogs, In his three years competing at the MAAC Championships Beck had seven top-ten individual finishes. He earned the gold medal in the 200 breast (2:02.65) as a junior and claimed the silver in the same event as a senior with a time of 2:01.90. At the time of his graduation, Beck set the school records in the 100 and 200 breast with times of 56.40 and 2:02.65.
Ben Schulte (2014-18) – Schulte had one of the most storied careers for Bryant, Schulte represented Bryant at the 2016 Olympics in Rio as he held the flag for the opening ceremonies for his country of Guam. He is the only Bulldog in program history to compete at the Olympics. As a freshman, he was named the MAAC Swimmer of the Meet. Throughout his MAAC career, Schulte accumulated 11 gold medals, including winning at least three gold medals at the MAACs from 2014-2018. In 2016, he broke the school records in the 100 and 200 breast with times of 54.13 and 1:59.97.
Go Bulldogs!