LEWISBURG, Pa. – The Army West Point men’s team and Navy women’s program won the 2025 Patriot League Swimming and Diving titles on Saturday night at Bucknell’s Kinney Natatorium.
The Black Knights captured their first title since 2001 on the men’s side, while the Mids secured their 13th consecutive championship.
Navy’s women totaled 1,514.5 points to place first, Army West Point followed in second with 1,246 points and host Bucknell placed third with 1,090.5 points. Rounding out the top five was Loyola (809.5) and Boston University (727) in fourth and fifth place, respectively. Lehigh (701), American (554), Colgate (505.5), Lafayette (354), and Holy Cross (346) completed the 10-team women’s championship field.
The Black Knights’ men scored 1,611.5 points, Navy finished second with 1,595, and Loyola placed third with 1,213 points. Bucknell (952.5) and Boston University (626.5) finished fourth and fifth, respectively. Lehigh (4425), Lafayette (368), Holy Cross (355), American (348.5), and Colgate (307) rounded out the 10-team men’s standings.
2025 Patriot League Swimming and Diving Major Awards
Army West Point freshman Johnny Crush was named Patriot League Men’s Swimmer and Rookie of the Meet. He won gold in the men’s 100-yard backstroke (44.96), while also setting the meet, pool and League record in the event. The rookie won silver in the 50-yard freestyle (19.61) and also logged a bronze-medal finish in the men’s 200-yard backstroke (1:42.64). Crush also swam in the 400 and 800-meter freestyle relays for the Black Knights, who took home gold medals in both events.
Navy senior Blakeman Shaw was named Patriot League Men’s Diver of the Meet after sweeping both the one-meter dive (350.70) and the three-meter dive (374.50).
Loyola Maryland graduate student Lily Mead was named Patriot League Women’s Swimmer of the Meet. She earned gold in the 200-yard IM (1:59.38) and the 100-yard backstroke (52.51), which established a new meet and League record and claimed a third gold in the 200-yard backstroke (1:55.10), where she also set a new meet record. Lastly, Mead led off the gold-medal winning 200-yard freestyle relay for the Greyhounds.
Navy junior MacKenzie Kim was named Patriot League Women’s Diver of the Meet as she captured gold in the women’s one-meter diving (296.30) and the three-meter diving (323.90) competitions.
Bucknell freshman Clara Renner was named Patriot League Women’s Rookie of the Meet after a strong performance throughout the week. Renner finished first in the women’s 400-yard individual medley (4:16.85) and logged runner-up finishes in the 500-yard freestyle (4:48.48) and the 1,650-yard freestyle (16:31.54).
Colgate’s Ed Pretre was named Patriot League Women’s Swim Coach of the Year. Army West Point’s Brandt Nigro was awarded Patriot League Men’s Swim Coach of the Year. Navy’s Tim Fisher earned Patriot League Joe Suriano Men’s Diving Coach of the Year, alongside the Patriot League Women’s Diving Coach of the Year.
American’s Mimi Watts, Army West Point’s Molly Webber and Loyola’s Mead each earned Women’s Highest Point Scorer honors with 96 points apiece. Navy’s Ben Irwin took home Men’s Highest Point Scorer accolades with 92 total points.
1650-Yard Freestyle
For the second straight championship, Army West Point’s Molly Webber claimed the top spot in the 1,650-yard freestyle as the junior clocked a time of 16:30.96. Webber became the third Black Knight in program history to win back-to-back titles in the event, joining Tricia LeRoux (1999-2000) and Carolyn Harris (1997-98). Bucknell first-year swimmer Clara Renner finished as the runner-up in 16:31.54, while Navy’s Sarah Eldridge logged a third-place finish in 16:55.42.
On the men’s side, Army West Point junior Brice Barrieault (15:11.27) won gold for the second time in his career, while senior teammate Wes Tate (15:13.30) took second. Boston University freshman Giovanni Sullo (15:21.69) rounded out the podium in third.
200-Yard Backstroke
In the women’s 200-yard backstroke, Loyola Maryland senior Lily Mead captured her third consecutive title with a winning time of 1:55.10, while also establishing a new meet record. Mead became the fifth swimmer in Patriot League history to win the event at least three times, joining Navy’s Jamie Miller (2018-20), Bucknell’s Emma Levandoski (2013-16), Lectie Altman (2004-06) and Jennifer Myers (1995-98). Colgate’s MG King (1:58.44) and Navy’s Ela Habjan (1:59.21) finished second and third, respectively.
Navy’s Ben Irwin repeated as the gold medalist in record-breaking fashion, setting new meet, pool, and League records with a time of 1:40.04. Loyola sophomore Joe Hayburn (1:42.17) earned silver, while Army West Point’s Johnny Crush (1:42.64) rounded out the men’s podium in third.
100-Yard Freestyle
American graduate student Mimi Watts added another first-place finish to her decorated career as she won a tight 100-yard freestyle race for the third straight championship with a time of 50.40. Additionally, Watts is the third women’s swimmer in Patriot League history to win the event three consecutive years, joining Navy’s Kenzie Margroum (2015-17) and Bucknell’s Margaret Brunow (1991-93). Army West Point senior Clara Williams (50.42) claimed silver medal honors, while Navy senior Tiffany Shields (50.57) took home bronze.
On the men’s side, Army West Point’s Thomas Hadji earned first place (43.31), Loyola’s Caleb Kelly (43.41) finished second and Navy’s Everett Andrew (43.91) finished third.
200-Yard Breaststroke
Army West Point’s Catriona Gilmore earned her second gold medal of the weekend, sweeping the breaststroke events, with a 200-yard time of 2:12.41. Navy teammates Lauren Walsh (2:12.57) and Maddie Koutavas (2:14.67) rounded out the top three finishers.
Army West Point junior Kohen Rankin secured the 200-yard breaststroke title for the third straight year, becoming just the second men’s swimmer in Patriot League history to accomplish the feat (Navy’s Marlin Brutkiewicz, 2015-17). Rankin notched a meet, pool, and League record time of 1:54.14, followed by Navy’s Michael Phillips (1:57.28) and Juan Mora (1:57.79), respectively.
200-Yard Butterfly
Boston University junior Haley Newman won the second gold medal of her career in the 200-yard butterfly with a time of 1:58.94. Senior Midshipmen teammates Caroline Irwin (1:59.41) and Catherine Weaverling (2:00.33) joined Newman on the podium.
For the second straight time, Navy sophomore Ben Irwin took gold in the men’s 200-yard butterfly with a time of 1:42.99. It marked the sixth consecutive year a Midshipman claimed the top spot. Army West Point sophomore Riley Groves (1:45.61) logged a silver medal finish, while teammate Jack Pogue (1:46.33) took home the bronze.
3-Meter Diving – Men
Navy’s Blakeman Shaw returned to the top of the podium in the men’s three-meter dive for the second time in his career as the senior took first place with a score of 374.50. Shaw swept the diving events on the weekend. Fellow Midshipman Finn Gelbach finished as the runner-up with a score of 372.60, while Army West Point’s David Manelis garnered 362.20 points to round out the podium.
400-Yard Freestyle Relay
Army’s team of Clara Williams, Angie McKane, Meghan Cole and Molly Webber dominated the 400-yard free relay to win their third consecutive gold in the event with a time of 3:20.27. Bucknell (3:22.48) earned silver behind the efforts of Sara Ketron, Kyla Kelly, Rylie Giles and Jennifer Bolton, while Navy’s Tiffany Shields, Samantha Clifford, Caroline Irwin and Catherine Weaverling claimed the bronze medal in 3:23.18.
In a relay to decide the team title, the Army West Point relay team of Johnny Crush, Kohen Rankin, Thomas Hadji, and Wes Tate delivered a record-breaking, title-winning performance in 2:52.20 to lift the Black Knights to their first title since 2001. The quartet established a new meet record en route to their gold medal. Loyola’s Caleb Kelly, Patrick Hayburn, Joe Hayburn and Brennan Coyle finished second in 2:54.97, while the Navy quartet of Lachlan Andrew, Simon Thompson, Ben Stankovich and Everet Andrew logged a third-place finish in 2:54.98.
2025 Patriot League Swimming and Diving Major Awards
Women’s Swimmer of the Meet: Lily Mead, Loyola Maryland
Men’s Swimmer of the Meet: Johnny Crush, Army West Point
Women’s Rookie of the Meet: Clara Renner, Bucknell
Men’s Rookie of the Meet: Johnny Crush, Army West Point
Women’s Diver of the Meet: MacKenzie Kim, Navy
Men’s Diver of the Meet: Blake Shaw, Navy
Women’s Highest Point Scorer: Lily Mead, Loyola Maryland, Mimi Watts, American, Molly Webber, Army West Point
Men’s Highest Point Scorer: Ben Irwin, Navy
Women’s Swim Coach of the Year: Ed Pretre, Colgate
Men’s Swim Coach of the Year: Brandt Nigro, Army West Point
Women’s Diving Coach of the Year: Tim Fisher, Navy
Joe Suriano Men’s Diving Coach of the Year: Tim Fisher, Navy
Women – Team Rankings
1. Navy – 1,514.5
2. Army West Point – 1,246
3. Bucknell – 1,090.5
4. Loyola Maryland – 809.5
5. Boston University – 727
6. Lehigh – 701
7. American – 554
7. Colgate – 505.5
9. Lafayette – 354
10. Holy Cross – 346
Men – Team Rankings
1. Army West Point – 1,611.5
2. Navy – 1,595
3. Loyola Maryland – 1,213
4. Bucknell – 952.5
5. Boston University – 626.5
6. Lehigh – 425
7. Lafayette – 368
8. Holy Cross – 355
9. American – 348.5
10. Colgate – 307
ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League’s athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes who are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.