NEW LONDON, Conn. -- The Men's Swimming and Diving team opened the home meet season with a win over NEWMAC school, Wheaton College. The final score was Wheaton College 98, and Coast Guard 181. This moves the men to 5-0 on the 2022-23 season.
The men were led by a series of multiple event winners and success in every event. The Bears started the day with a win in the 200 medley relay, and the team of captain Bobby O'Donnell, Tyler Bland, Charles Gaines, and Jake Kim clocked in at 1:34.76. Sophomore Sean Lyman boasted three winning times, in both 100 and 200 yard backstroke as well as the 200 Individual Medley. Lyman's times of 52.96, 1:55.63 and 1:58.36 were all fastest in the events. Bobby O'Donnell reeled in a pair of wins in the 200 (1:44.56) and 100 freestyle (47.54). Other event winners were sophomore Colin Twiss in the 1000 free and a time of 9:51.89, and classmate Brandon Chhoeung in the 500 free (4:54.94) swept the distance events.
The stroke events were also good ones for the Bears. Captain and school record holder, Derek Ledford returned to form in the 200 butterfly winning with a time of 1:59.43. Fellow butterflyer, and first year cadet, Charles Gaines won the 100 fly with a quick 51.63. First year Ryan Von Weihe won the 200 breaststroke and notched his first CGA win with a time of 2:15.47. Fellow first year, Kai Shuster earned his first Coast Guard win on the 1-meter diving board and finished with a score of182.40.
The Bears will travel to Brandeis University on November 19 and a 1:00 om start to send them off to the Thanksgiving holiday.
