Norton, Mass. - February 27, 2009 - The Springfield College men's swimming and diving team was led by a pair of individual winners in Brian Way and Greg Pearsall in the opening day of the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Men's Swimming and Diving Championships on Friday evening at Wheaton College.Behind three event victories, two-time defending(NEWMAC) men's swimming & diving championship runner-up Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) took a 32.5-point lead after the first day of the league meet on Friday at Wheaton College's Balfour Natatorium. The Engineers totaled 265 points, three-time defending champ United States Coast Guard Academy stood second with 232.5, while Springfield College occupied third at 175.
Pearsall was victorious in the 50 free as the senior automatically qualified for the NCAA Championships with a time of 20.46. Pearsall gave the Pride first-place points as he swam the third fastest time in the country to date.
Way continued to be impressive in his first season at Springfield as he claimed first in the 200 I.M. Way met NCAA 'B' Cut Standards and set a NEWMAC meet and open record with a time of 1:54.35 in the event. The first year clocked in over three seconds faster than his prelim time of 1:57.44, which was fourth fastest entering the finals.
The other top finisher on the day for Springfield was Andrew Blakesley, who finished second in the 500 freestyle with a time of 4:41.12.
SC also had a pair of relays race in the evening session as the 200 free relay of Pearsall, Ryan Mackstutis, Andrew Blakesley, and Matt Manoni finished second in a NCAA 'B' Cut time of 1:23.08. The Pride's other relay, the 400 medley squad, finished fourth in a time of 3:35.14. That relay team consisted of Scott Mackstutis, older brother Ryan, Tony Bruno, and Manoni.
Team Standings
1. MIT - 265 points
2. Coast Guard Academy - 232.5 points
3. Springfield College - 175 points
4. WPI - 118 points
5. Clark University - 96 points
6. Wheaton College - 86 points
7. Babson College - 78.5 points
John Taffe enters his 24th season in 2012-2013 as the head coach of the men's and women's swimming teams at Springfield College. Under Taffe’s leadership, the Pride has returned to its status as one of the best collegiate swimming and diving programs in Division III. Read more.
Peter Avdoulos is regarded as one of the top diving coaches in the nation, and will enter his 28th season as the diving coach for both the men's and women's programs in 2012-2013. The current NEWMAC Men's Diving Coach of the Year, Avdoulos has coached countless All-New England and All-American divers, as well as several National Champions. Read more.