Patriot League 2025-26 Men’s Swimming and Diving Preview (9.24.25)

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The 2025-26 Patriot League males’s swimming and diving season begins this weekend, with all 10 packages competing by October.

After capturing its tenth Patriot League championship in program historical past and first since 2001, Army West Point appears to be like to repeat because the Black Knights return 9 All-League performers, together with 2024 Patriot League Rookie and Swimmer of the Meet Johnny Crush.

Navy, which is able to function host of the 2025-26 Patriot League Men’s Swimming & Diving Championship, completed because the runner-up final season after successful the title yearly from 2004 by way of 2024. The Midshipmen welcome again 16 All-League honorees, led by Ben Irwin, the boys’s highest level scorer final season.

The 2025-26 Patriot League Men’s Swimming & Diving Championships are set to happen on Wednesday, February 18 by way of Saturday, February 21 on the United States Naval Academy’s Lejeune Hall in Annapolis, Md.

AMERICAN EAGLES
Head Coach: Garland Bartlett (fifth season)
Letterwinners returning/misplaced: 18/7

All-League Returnees: None

Fifth-year head coach Garland Bartlett returns 18 letterwinners from final yr’s squad and welcomes eight newcomers this season. The Eagles will lean on juniors Connor Florence and Lucas Standridge headed into the 2025-26 marketing campaign.

Coach Garland Bartlett on the Eagles: “We have added eight new members to the men’s team who have already impressed the coaching staff from the first day of the season. We have very strong leadership this year from the upperclassmen, and when combined with this freshmen class, I know will make it a very successful season!”

ARMY WEST POINT BLACK KNIGHTS
Head Coach: Brandt Nigro (seventh season)
Letterwinners returning: 21
All-League Returnees: First Team- Brice Barrieault, Johnny Crush, Thomas Hadji, Joey Kling, Kohen Rankin, Daniel Verdolaga; Second Team- Riley Groves, Kalvin Hahn, Ben Vorthmann

Army West Point will look to defend their Patriot League championship below seventh-year head coach and 2025 Men’s Swim Coach of the Year Brandt Nigro after capturing their first title since 2021 final season. Led by Patriot League Men’s Swimmer and Rookie of the Meet Johnny Crush, the Black Knights return a number of All-League performers, together with first-teamers Brice Barrieault, Thomas Hadji, Joey Kling, Kohen Rankin and Daniel Verdolaga, together with second-teamers Riley Groves, Kalvin Hahn and Ben Vorthmann.

Coach Brandt Nigro on the Black Knights: “We are coming off historic seasons for each our males’s and ladies’s groups. However, our crew is as hungry and decided as ever. As a lot as we have now completed prior to now few years there’s nonetheless a lot we have now left to do. We have sturdy management and expertise in our Firstie class. We return a whole lot of expertise and depth in our Cow and Yuk lessons. And, we’re excited to welcome in a big and well-rounded plebe class. Our problem might be to remain centered on us and getting higher every day. Not giving in to the expectations or dropping sight of the large image. This might be a protracted season and our essential targets don’t come till February and March.”

BOSTON UNIVERSITY TERRIERS
Head Coach: James Sica (third season)
Letterwinners returning/misplaced: 14/6

All-League Returnees: None

Under third-year head coach James Sica, Boston University returns 14 letterwinners from final yr’s fifth place end, together with juniors Zein Mahana and Jonny Farber, together with sophomores Giovanni Sullo and Charles Schreiner.

Coach James Sica on the Terriers: “This is going to be an awesome season for BU men’s swimming & diving. We have 11 newcomers on the men’s side, with six first-year swimmers, three first-year divers and two transfers. All our new additions to the roster have the ability to make an immediate impact, and our entire men’s team has started off the season working hard and having a lot of fun. This is an extremely motivated group that has big goals for each other, and I am excited to see what they will accomplish in the 2025-26 season!”

BUCKNELL BISON
Head Coach: Dan Schinnerer (twentieth season)
Letterwinners returning/misplaced: 23/6

All-League Returnees: None

Head coach Dan Schinnerer begins his twentieth season main the Bucknell males’s swimming and program. The Bison welcome again 23 letterwinners from final yr’s squad that completed fourth on the 2025 Patriot League Championships together with, senior Jackson Vinarub, juniors Riley Twiss, James Lombardi and Finn Russell and sophomore Dante Buonadonna.

Coach Dan Schinnerer on the Bison: “We lost a very impactful class to graduation this past spring with four seniors being on our school record board, but we are very excited both about our incoming class and the improvement of our returning class. We look forward to continuing to improve as a team inside of the always improving Patriot League.”

COLGATE RAIDERS
Head Coach: Ed Pretre (seventh season)
Letterwinners returning/misplaced: 14/8

All-League Returnees: None

Colgate enters the 2025-26 season below seventh-year head coach Ed Pretre with 14 letters getting back from final yr’s squad. With the addition of 4 divers and an impactful first-year class, Pretre expects a number of student-athletes to contribute at this yr’s Patriot League Championships.

Coach Ed Pretre on the Raiders: “If we stay healthy, our men’s team is going to surprise some people this year,” Pretre mentioned. “We have four divers—which is something we haven’t had since I’ve been here—and that’s going to be a huge advantage for us. Our first-year class may be small on the swimming side, but it’s mighty. All four of these young men have the potential to make an impact and score for us at the Patriot League Championship.”

HOLY CROSS CRUSADERS
Head Coach: Kristy Jones (4th season)
Letterwinners returning/misplaced: 20/6

All-League Returnees: None

Fourth-year head coach Kristy Jones welcomes again 20 letterwinners from final yr’s lineup, together with 4 student-athletes that earned top-15 finishes of their respective occasions. Seniors Zach Bubonovich and Jack Greiner, junior Luke Parada and sophomore Griffin Casey lead the Crusaders into the 2025-26 marketing campaign.

Coach Kristy Jones on the Raiders: “Last year’s success was just the beginning. We are bringing back our top scorers and adding a talented freshman class to our men’s swimming & diving roster that will make an immediate impact. The expectation for this season is to build on that momentum and raise the bar even higher.”

LAFAYETTE LEOPARDS
Head Coach: James Dailey (thirty first season)
Letterwinners returning/misplaced: 18/9

All-League Returnees: None

Head coach James Dailey enters his thirty first season on the helm of the Lafayette program and can depend on a number of underclassmen to guide the Leopards after the departure of eight student-athletes who set a number of program data. Seniors Peter Curtis, Tommy Weber and Sean McManus together with juniors Landon Orth, Alexander Zoldan, Alex Reihl and Trey Telleen, are set to be Lafayette’s high performers this season.

Coach James Dailey on the Leopards: “The 2025-26 season will be interesting for us. The team graduated eight swimmers/divers that accounted for 11 school records. They were also prolific leaders. The younger classes are willing and able to move into those leadership roles and with our first years can put up the times and scores that will be even better than the ’24-’25 season. We are looking forward to our dual meet season and Patriot League Championships.”

LEHIGH MOUNTAIN HAWKS
Head Coach: Rob Herb (Twenty second season)
Letterwinners returning/misplaced: 13/5

All-League Returnees: None

Lehigh heads into the 2025-26 marketing campaign below Twenty second-year head coach Rob Herb, who is worked up concerning the crew’s depth throughout each class of student-athletes. Graduate pupil Jack Grotke, seniors Ben Kisker and Aaron Williams, together with sophomores Jack Deppe and Tristan Ronayne, look to assist enhance on the Mountain Hawks’ sixth-place end on the Patriot League Championships final season.

Coach Rob Herb on the Mountain Hawks: “This year’s men’s program is something special. From our upperclassman through every class, everyone will be contributing to the greater good. This is a group of hard-working and incredibly competitive athletes we’re proud to represent Lehigh and show what they can achieve in a very competitive league.”

LOYOLA MARYLAND GREYHOUNDS
Head Coach: Brian Loeffler (Thirty fourth season)
Letterwinners returning/misplaced: 28/13

All-League Returnees: Second Team- Brennan Coyle, Joe Hayburn, Hans van Lierop

Loyola Maryland continued to shut the purpose hole within the crew standings final season, because the Greyhounds completed in third place on the Patriot League Championships for the second straight yr below Thirty fourth-year head coach Brian Loeffler. The Greyhounds welcome again 28 letterwinners from a season in the past, together with a trio of All-Patriot League second-team honorees in Brennan Coyle, Joe Hayburn and Hans van Lierop.

Coach Brian Loeffler on the Greyhounds: “The men are excited to battle again for a strong Patriot League finish. Last season, the men placed third and closed the gap towards Army and Navy.  Like the women, the men graduated a tremendous group of seniors. I expect many of the freshman to help fill those gaps so the men do not miss a beat.”

NAVY
Head Coach: Bill Roberts (twenty third season)
Letterwinners returning/misplaced: 28/11

All-League Returnees: First Team- Lachlan Andrew (2025) Finn Gelbach (2024), Ben Irwin (2024-25), Ben Mauldin (2025), Michael Phillips (2025), Benjamin Stankovich (2025), Zach Stump (2023); Second Team- Gio Aquirre (2025), George Brooker III (2023), Finn Gelbach (2025), Gavin Green (2024), Dean Jones (2025), Juan Mora (2025), Luca Olivia (2025), Kellan Pattison (2025), Michael Phillips (2024), Anthony Sciulli (2023), Benjamin Stankovich (2024), Zach Stump (2024-25), Simon Thompson (2025)

Bill Roberts begins his twenty third season as head coach of Navy’s males’s swimming and diving program, seeking to lead the Midshipmen to their twenty first title in class historical past following final yr’s runner-up end. Navy returns 16 student-athletes who’ve earned All-League honors of their profession, together with junior Ben Irwin, the boys’s highest level scorer on the 2025 Patriot League Championships.

Coach Bill Roberts on the Midshipmen: “We anticipate nothing less than another very exciting and competitive season in 2025-26. The league returns several athletes who were producing a lot of points for their respective programs. As a result, we understand that we are going to have to be far better all season long to be competitive with the best in the conference.”

ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE

The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of educational and athletic achievement, regularly demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at each lecturers 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 vital part of a well-rounded schooling.