Patriot League 2026-27 Men’s Swimming and Diving Preview (9.23.26)

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The 2026-27 Patriot League males’s swimming and diving season begins this weekend, with all 10 applications competing by October.

Navy, which is able to function host of the 2027 Patriot League Men’s Swimming & Diving Championship, will look to repeat after securing its twenty first title in program historical past a season in the past. The Midshipmen return a number of All-League honorees, together with 2026 Men’s Diver of the Meet Finn Gelbach, 2026 Men’s Rookie of the Meet Chase Maier and two-time Men’s Highest Point Scorer Ben Irwin (2024, 2025).

Army West Point completed because the runner-up final season after successful the title in 2025, because the Black Knights at the moment are below the course of first-year head coach Scott Thacker. Two-time Men’s Swimmer of the Meet Johnny Crush appears to guide Army West Point again to the highest of the League because the Black Knights welcome again 4 All-League performers.

The 2027 Patriot League Men’s Swimming & Diving Championships are set to happen on Wednesday, February 17 by Saturday, February 20 at Bucknell University’s Kinney Natatorium in Lewisburg, Pa.

AMERICAN EAGLES

Head Coach: Garland Bartlett (sixth season)

Letterwinners returning/misplaced: 18/8

All-League Returnees: None

Under sixth-year head coach Garland Bartlett, American returns 18 letterwinners from final 12 months’s staff and welcomes 4 newcomers. Sophomore Alex Way and junior Luke Martens will look to information the Eagles headed into the 2026-27 season.

ARMY WEST POINT BLACK KNIGHTS

Head Coach: Scott Thacker (1st season)

Letterwinners returning/misplaced: 30/15

All-League Returnees: First Team: Johnny Crush, Kalvin Hahn; Second Team: Thomas Hadji, Remo Mann

Following a runner-up end a season in the past on the Patriot League Championships, Army West Point appears to reclaim the title because the Black Knights flip to new management with Scott Thacker taking up the pinnacle coach function. Led by two-time Men’s Swimmer of the Meet and First Team All-American Johnny Crush, the Black Knights return a trio of All-League performers; Kalvin Hahn, Thomas Hadji and Remo Mann. At final 12 months’s NCAA Division I Championships, Crush recorded a fifth-place end within the 100-yard backstroke with a program report time of 43.84 to earn All-American honors.

BOSTON UNIVERSITY TERRIERS

Head Coach: James Sica (4th season)

Letterwinners returning/misplaced: 17/3

All-League Returnees: Second Team: Giovanni Sullo, Charlie Nenchev

Head coach Jame Sica begins his fourth season main the Boston University males’s swimming and diving program. The Terriers welcome again 17 letterwinners from final 12 months’s squad that completed fourth on the Patriot League Championships. Led by Second Team All-League honorees Giovanni Sullo and Charlie Nenchev, Boston University can even flip to Henry Dvorak and Zein Mahana for an additional sturdy season.

BUCKNELL BISON

Head Coach: Josh Huger (1st season)

Letterwinners returning/misplaced: 18/11

All-League Returnees: None

The Bucknell males’s swimming and diving program will flip to new management following the departure of long-time head coach Dan Schinnerer as Josh Huger takes over the reins. The Bison return 18 letterwinners from final 12 months’s squad that completed fifth on the Patriot League Championships, together with senior James Lombardi in addition to sophomores Drew Davis and Jason Kellerman.

COLGATE RAIDERS

Head Coach: Ed Pretre (eighth season)

Letterwinners returning/misplaced: 15/8

All-League Returnees: None

Eighth-year head coach Ed Pretre welcomes again 15 letterwinners from final 12 months’s squad that totaled 345 factors on the Patriot League Championships. Junior Michael Granin, sophomore David Brophy and classmate Nick Pompo lead the Colgate males’s swimming and diving staff into the 2026-27 season.

HOLY CROSS CRUSADERS

Head Coach: Kristy Jones (fifth season)

Letterwinners returning/misplaced: 17/9

All-League Returnees: None

Holy Cross returns 17 letterwinners from final 12 months’s unit and is below the course of fifth-year head coach Kristy Jones. Despite the lack of First Team All-Patriot League performer Jack Greiner, a senior trio of Luke Parada, Will Clark and Austin Cutcher, in addition to sophomore Andrew Villani, will lead the Crusaders into the 2026-27 season.

LAFAYETTE LEOPARDS

Head Coach: Mike Rinde (1st season)

Letterwinners returning/misplaced: 26/3

All-League Returnees: None

The Lafayette males’s swimming and diving program turns to new management following the retirement of long-time head coach Jim Dailey, as assistant coach Mike Rinde takes over the helm. The Leopards will look to construct off a record-setting 2025-26 season as they are going to be led by seniors Alex Reihl, Trey Telleen, Landon Orth and Alex Zoldan. Sophomores Justin Tucker, Trevor Olson, Auggie Sefcik and Greg Yukhvid determine to have an effect for Lafayette.

LEHIGH MOUNTAIN HAWKS

Head Coach: Rob Herb (Twenty third season)

Letterwinners returning/misplaced: 23/4

All-League Returnees: Second Team: Jack Deppe

With the return of 23 letterwinners from a season in the past, Lehigh appears to enhance on its sixth-place end on the 2026 Patriot League Championships. The Mountain Hawks shall be led by Twenty third-year head coach Rob Herb.

LOYOLA MARYLAND GREYHOUNDS

Head Coach: Brian Loeffler (Thirty fifth season)

Letterwinners returning/misplaced: 33/9

All-League Returnees: First Team: Joe Hayburn; Second Team: Brennan Coyle, Luke Dwyer, JD Moyer

Loyola Maryland had one other sturdy displaying eventually 12 months’s Patriot League Championships below Thirty fifth-year head coach Brian Loeffler because the Greyhounds completed third for the third straight 12 months with 1,061 factors. Led by Joe Hayburn, who earned First Team All-Patriot League honors and certified for the NCAA Division I Championships, the Greyhounds return 33 letterwinners, together with Second Team All-Patriot Leaguers Brennan Coyle, Luke Dwyer and JD Moyer.

NAVY

Head Coach: Bill Roberts (twenty fourth season)

Letterwinners returning/misplaced: 31/10

All-League Returnees: First Team: Finn Gelbach, Ben Irwin, Dean Jones, Tyler Kaminski, Chase Maier, Ben Mauldin, Martin Perecinsky, Xavier Sohovich, Coleman Yates; Second Team: Lachlan Andrew, Will Jones, Preston Kessler, Juan Mora, Luke Ogren, Luca Oliva

Bill Roberts enters his twenty fourth season on the helm of Navy’s males’s swimming and diving program, trying to lead the Midshipmen to their twenty second title at school historical past following final 12 months’s return to the highest of the Patriot League with 1,793 factors. Navy returns 15 student-athletes who earned All-League honors of their profession, together with senior Finn Gelbach, the 2024 and 2026 Men’s Diver of the Meet, and sophomore Chase Maier, the 2026 Men’s Rookie of the Meet.

ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE

The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of educational and athletic achievement, frequently demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at each teachers and athletics with out sacrificing excessive requirements. The Patriot League’s athletic success is achieved whereas its member establishments stay dedicated to its founding precept of admitting and graduating student-athletes who’re academically consultant of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League establishments is considered as an necessary part of a well-rounded schooling.