Tufts had an incredible weekend at the two−day unscored Wheaton Invitational against Wheaton, Clark and No. 5 MIT, earning numerous lifetime−best and conference record times. For half the team, it was the last meet of the season, and for the other half it was the final tune−up before the NESCAC Championships.
No. 16 Tufts won 13 out of 24 events and had seven one−two−three finishes, four of which came in the first four races of the meet.
"We had guys posting up times that in their wildest imaginations they didn't think they could get," senior quad−captain Joe Lessard said. "For a number of people, this was the best meet of their lives."
Coach Adam Hoyt agreed that the swimmers' posting times were extremely pleasing.
"It was the best Wheaton Invitational performance of our team since I've been coaching at Tufts," Coach Adam Hoyt said. "The guys just stepped up and swam unbelievably inspiring races."
Freshman Andrew Turk had a standout meet, and Hoyt announced yesterday to his team via e−mail that Turk will fill the coveted 24th spot in the conference championship lineup.
"It came down to a handful of guys and trying to figure out who's going to score the most points for us at NESCAC Championships," Hoyt said. "Andrew stood out as far as being able to contribute in the breaststroke events in addition to being able to contribute in some freestyle relays. His level of performance and his versatility both contributed to adding him to our roster, and we know he'll do great there. We're happy to have him join us."
Turk won the 200−yard breaststroke, placed second in the 200−yard freestyle with the tenth−best time in the conference and was on the first−place 400−yard freestyle relay and second−place 400−yard medley relay teams this weekend.
The team of sophomore Fred Teumer, juniors Brandon Ching and EJ Testa and senior quad−captain Gordy Jenkins kicked the event off with a victory in the 400−yard medley relay.
Teumer also swam the fastest time in the conference in the 50−yard butterfly and placed second in a 100−yard time trial, third in the 100−yard freestyle and fourth in the 50−yard freestyle. Ching placed third in the 100−yard butterfly with the sixth−fastest time in the conference and second in the 200−yard butterfly.
Testa and Jenkins each had stellar weekends, swimming on three first−place relay teams. They joined Lessard and Turk to win the 400−yard freestyle relay and teamed up with junior Owen Rood and senior Andrew Altman to take the 200−yard freestyle relay.
Lessard also won a 200−yard time trial, anchored the third−place 200−yard medley relay team, finished fourth in the 200−yard breaststroke and came in third in the 200−yard freestyle relay along with Ching, freshman Andrew Berman and junior Peter Debbaut.
The victories just kept on coming for the Jumbos. Rood won the 50−yard freestyle, freshman Craig Olynyk won the 100−yard freestyle, Berman won the 400−yard individual medley, freshman Matthew Wiens won the 1650−yard freestyle and junior Matt Richmond won the 100−yard breaststroke. Also, swimming in their final collegiate meets, seniors Eddie Mayerson and Andrew Meyendorff each won a 100−yard time trial.
It was an amazing scene as Meyendorff swam his last race.
"We had the entire team behind his lane ready for him," Lessard said. "It was the 100 free, and he had never broken 50 seconds [individually]. Everyone's behind there cheering for him, and he hits the water, and right away you can tell this is going to be a special swim. ... He hits the wall at 49.66, and you know for him it's an excellent accomplishment, but you also know it's something the whole team worked at with him, and that the whole team was behind him."
Second−place finishers included sophomore Dylan Portelance in the 1,650−yard freestyle, Olynyk in the 100−yard backstroke, senior Chris Vorlicek in the 400−yard individual medley and junior Andrew Vidikan in the 200−yard backstroke. Vidikan's time was sixth in the conference.
Freshman Johann Schmidt won both the 1−meter and 3−meter diving events.
The standout swims reflect the high standard to which the Jumbos have held themselves all season, Lessard said.
"The team has worked harder this year than in the past," Lessard said. "There's a growing expectation of success. You talk a lot about the culture of a team — whether or not it breeds success and whether or not it breeds good performances — and I think our team is certainly starting to get that together."
The 24 swimmers on the conference squad will now begin tapering off so they are fully rested come time for the NESCAC Championships on Feb. 25.
