Massachusetts Swim & Dive Set to Clash with Bryant in Thrilling Saturday Showdown

AMHERST, Mass. – The University of Massachusetts swimming and diving team will leap into the pool for the inaugural time this new year on Saturday, January 4, in Norton, Massachusetts, facing Bryant. The dual competition is set to occur at the Balfour Natatorium (Wheaton College) commencing at 9:30 a.m. with diving events, while swimming heats will kick off at 1 p.m. at Chace Pool.

Last Encounter
The Massachusetts women’s swim and dive squad faced Atlantic 10 competitors Rhode Island and La Salle on December 7. Unfortunately, the Minutewomen faltered in their tri-meet against host URI (153-106) and versus La Salle (152-107) that day.

The women’s program achieved 13 top-three placements, featuring junior Shreeya Sinha and graduate student Bri Williams securing individual gold medals.

Freshman Danielle Guerin also etched her name in the top-10 all-time records for the one-meter dive, earning a personal-best score of 279.45 to claim the bronze medal.

Entering The Top 10
Minutemen:

• 100 Backstroke: Zach Szabo, Freshman (49.38 – 10th)
• 200 Butterfly: Aydin Erkan, Sophomore (1:49.20 – Sixth)
• 200 Breaststroke: Nate Derby, Freshman (2:01.73 – Fifth)

 
Minutewomen:

• 100 Backstroke: Maria Grishaeva, Freshman (56.11 – Seventh)
• 200 Backstroke: Maria Grishaeva, Freshman (2:02.99 – Ninth)
• 100 Butterfly: Elizabeth Lahmann, Freshman (56.24 – Tied for Seventh)
• 200 Breaststroke: Maria Grishaeva, Freshman (2:19.16 – Fifth)
• 200 Individual Medley: Lindsay Burbage, Sophomore (2:05.74 – Eighth)
• 400 Individual Medley: Maria Grishaeva, Freshman (4:26.59 – Eighth)
• 1-Meter Dive: Shreeya Sinha, Junior (294.68 – Fifth)
• 1- Meter Dive: Salem Howes, Junior (274.13 – 10th)
• 1- Meter Dive: Danielle Guerin, Freshman (279.45 – Ninth)
• 3-Meter Dive: Shreeya Sinha, Junior (304.88 – Sixth)

Setting [Pool] Records

Junior Sammy Quigg secured two first-place finishes against Boston College, while clocking a time of 20.34 in the 50 freestyle, creating a new Joseph R. Rogers, Jr., Pool record. His performance surpassed the former pool record by 0.01 second held by a Boston University athlete from the 2023-24 season (20.35). Quigg’s time also set a new dual meet record for the Minutemen in this event, which he previously held with a performance of 20.38 last season.

 

At the Justin Jennings Invitational, Bell broke two pool records at Lineberry Natatorium in both the one-meter and three-meter dives. Bell achieved a score of 355.90 in the one-meter dive, while totaling 386.85 in the three-meter dive. These records surpassed prior records established in 1987 and 1994.

 

The [Finest] Dives

During the event at Boston University earlier in the season, the divers produced six personal-best scores, with four from the Minutewomen and two from the Minutemen.

 

For the Minutewomen, junior Shreeya Sinha amassed two personal bests on that day, clinching gold in the three-meter dive with a combined score of 304.88. In the one-meter dive, she secured second place with a total of 294.68 over six dives. Her score in the three-meter dive ranked her sixth all-time in the UMass record books, while her one-meter score was good for fifth all-time in the records. Fellow classmate Salem Howes finished third in the one-meter event with a personal-best total of 274.13, marking her name in 10th all-time in the record books.

 

Additionally, freshman Sahana Narayanan placed third in the three-meter event with her personal-best score of 256.28.

 

Bell secured first place in both the three-meter and one-meter events for the Minutemen. In the three-meter event, Bell obtained a season-best score of 429.23, while posting a season-best six-dive total of 399.60 in the one-meter event. Freshman Alex Kreidler achieved personal bests to finish second in both the three-meter (291.90) and one-meter (314.10) dives.

 

Weekly Accolades

Quigg received the first Atlantic 10 weekly honor, being recognized as the A-10 men’s Performer of the Week on October 9. This marked his third weekly recognition of his career. Quigg established a pool record in the Minutemen’s opening meet of the season against Boston College, swimming a new record time of 20.34 at the Joseph R. Rogers, Jr., Pool, in the 50 freestyle to capture the gold medal, subsequently finishing first in the 100 freestyle with a time of 45.24.

 

In the relay events, the junior anchored the 200 medley relay team to a first-place finish with a combined time of 1:33.34. Quigg also led the 200 freestyle relay team that secured silver with a time of 1:24.51.

 

Bell earned the A-10 men’s Performer of the Week accolade three times this season, counting his fifth, sixth, and seventh career honors. Receiving the award on October 15, the junior played a pivotal role in the Minutemen achieving a second-place finish at the Justin Jennings Invitational, held by Colgate, over the weekend after claiming two gold medals. Bell topped the three-meter dive with a six-dive total, and season-best, of 386.85, and finished first in the one-meter dive event with a score of 355.90. Both of his results established previous pool records from 1987 and 1994.

 

He earned the award again on October 22, as Bell dominated in both the one-meter and three-meter diving events in UMass’ scrimmage against Yale. In the one-meter, he notched a score of 371.93, while aggregating a total of 393.98 in the three-meter event.

 

On November 12, Bell secured his third award of the year, after capturing first place in both the three-meter and one-meter dives in a dual meet at Boston University. In the three-meter event, he attained a season-best score of 429.23, while compiling a season-best six-dive total of 399.60 in the one-meter event.

 

Freshman Chase Keeler achieved his first career weekly recognition after being named the A-10 Men’s Rookie of the Week on November 26. Keeler secured sixth in the 200 individual medley with a season-best time of 1:51.21. The freshman recorded an 11th finishing time with a personal-best mark of 4:01.29 in the 400 individual medley, while claiming fifth in the 200 backstroke with a personal-best time of 1:49.11. He also entered the top 10 in the A-10 Conference in the 200 individual medley, 400 individual medley, and the 200 backstroke.

 

Throughout the relay events, Keeler led off the 400 medley relay team that finished seventh with a time of 3:21.55. He also contributed to his 200 medley relay team achieving 10th place with a time of 1:32.35.

 

Upcoming Events

Massachusetts will enjoy a one-week hiatus before traveling to Hanover, New Hampshire for the Tate Ramsden Invitational on Friday, January 17, through Saturday, January 18. This two-day affair will commence at 4 p.m. on Friday, followed by events that start at 10 a.m. on Saturday, with activities resuming at 3 p.m.