By Olivia Trasser
Staff Writer
The College’s men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams made waves this postseason, earning a handful of accolades from the New Jersey Athletic Conference, with the men's team sweeping all four major awards and the women’s dive team having standout performances as well.
The College’s men's swimming and diving team dominated the NJAC honors, with an astonishing 16 student-athletes earning All-Conference recognition. Out of those 16, four of the athletes took home the league’s four major awards. Senior Ryan Higgins was named Swimmer of the Year after an exceptional season with four All-American performances at the NCAA Championships, bringing his career total to seven. At the NJAC Championship meet, Higgins claimed titles in the 200-yard backstroke, 200-yard individual medley and 400-yard individual medley.
On the other end of the pool, in the diving well, senior Ethan Weiss continued his storied career by being named Diver of the Year for the third time. Weiss joined Lions legend TJ Burns as the only two athletes in program history to achieve this accomplishment. Weiss secured a first-place finish in the 1-meter and second in the 3-meter competitions at NJACs. Weiss then went on to NCAA Regionals, where he placed sixth in both events.
Sophomore standout swimmer Steven Bendoraitis earned Rookie of the Year honors, becoming the fifth Lion in the last six years to claim the title. He placed first in the 1650-yard freestyle at the conference meet and added Second Team All-American finishes in the 500-yard freestyle and as a member of the 800-yard freestyle relay team at NCAAs.
Leading the program to another stellar season, the coaching staff of Dave Dow, Eric Blevins, Webster Bozzo and Steven Paterno was recognized as the Coaching Staff of the Year for the fourth time in five years. The coaches collectively guided the Lions to their second straight NJAC team title and a 17th-place finish at the NCAA Championships.
Several other Lions also earned top honors for their efforts. Senior Ryan VanDeVeen received a First Team selection in both breaststroke events, the 100-yard and 200-yard, while freshman M.J. Hoban earned First Team in the 50-yard freestyle. Freshman Joe McChesney was named First Team in the 100-yard butterfly after a strong championship meet performance.
Additionally, junior Gavin Formon, junior Andrew Kidchob, senior Andrew Walter, senior Shawn Kushner, sophomore Pablo Salazar, freshman Tyler McGeehan and senior Michael Wu received All-Conference honors across a variety of individual events, showcasing the team’s impressive depth and versatility.
The Lion’s relay dominance was also on full display this season, earning First Team All-NJAC accolades in the 200-yard freestyle, 200-yard medley and 400-yard medley relays, with a Second Team nod in the 800-yard freestyle relay.
For the Lady Lions, junior diver Beth Evaldi was once again a standout performer, repeating as Diver of the Year after taking home her second straight 3-meter title and first-ever 1-meter title. Evaldi, now a six-time NJAC medalist, has solidified herself as one of the top divers in program history.
Fellow junior Melody Lin claimed Second Team honors in both diving events, finishing runner-up to Evaldi in both. Lin’s continued improvement over the past two seasons has now earned her All-Conference recognition three times.
Senior Erin Sommers rounded out the Lions’ honors, finishing third in the 3-meter dive to earn Honorable Mention recognition in her final collegiate season and help the Lions complete a sweep of the podium.
With a blend of veteran leadership and emerging stars, both of the College’s squads have plenty to be proud of as they close out a remarkable 2024–25 season.
