The Fordham swimming and diving team swept its opponents last Friday in its final meet ahead of the Bucknell Invitational. The men won by their largest margin of the season, 194–102, hosting the NJIT Highlanders. The women’s team cruised past the Stony Brook Seawolves, 182–111, keeping its spotless record pure, now 6–0 on the season.

Going into this Friday’s meet, the women held a 4–0 record against the Seawolves. This go-around yielded the same result, as the women handily defeated Stony Brook behind an especially strong performance by senior diver Molly Dunn. Dunn posted a career-best and winning score of 297.45, qualifying her for the NCAA Zone Diving Regional. She also won the 3-meter dive with a score of 246.75.

The Rams also benefited from three other multi-event winners. Junior Caitlin McNary touched first in the 1000 freestyle in 10:29.00 and in the 100 freestyle in 53.55 seconds. Freshman Clare Culver finished ahead of the pack in both the 200 (1:53.58) and 500 (5:09.83) freestyle events, while freshman Alison Lin finished first in the 200 backstroke (2:06.39) and the 200 IM (2:06.93).

In the women’s relays, the 200 medley group of Lin, junior Michelle Martin, sophomore Kiara Norris and senior Theresa Mullen was first in 1:47.08, while the 200 freestyle relay of Norris, Culver, senior Paulina Watson and Mullen placed first in 1:38.29.

In a season where the women have somehow built upon their pristine 7–0 record in 2018, it was the men who put together their best performance of the year. Fordham posted five season-best performances against NJIT, along with four multi-event winners. Sophomores Connor Wright and Josh Stegen, junior Patrick Wilson and freshman Ethan Murray each captured two events in the meet.

Stegen took the top spot in the 200 (1:42.92) and 100 (47.04) freestyle events. Wright captured first in the 100 backstroke in 53.39 seconds as well as the 200 backstroke in a season-best 1:54.65.

The men maintained their success in the relays, finishing first in both events. Sophomore Spencer Clarke, Wilson, senior Casey Sawyer and junior Bryce Bollesen posted a time of 1:35.05 in the 200 medley, while Wilson, Bollesen, Stegen and senior Kevin Berry recorded a time of 1:24.98 in the 200 freestyle relay.

Sawyer, from Syracuse, New York, was vocal about the improvements the team has been able to make.

“Despite two weeks of hard training, we’ve been able to perform well in our meets,” he said. “I think (the success is) mostly just (from) all our hard work coming together. We had a busy semester of dual meets which has helped us focus on and improve our racing and training.”

The men will finally receive some long-needed rest, as both squads take this week off as they celebrate Thanksgiving. However, they will be back in action as they travel to Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, for the Bucknell Invitational Dec. 6–8.