CAMBRIDGE - The Tufts University men's swimming and diving team capped off a successful fall semester with a strong performance at the MIT Invitational on Friday and Saturday. Almost every swimmer on the team notched season or personal-best times and the Jumbos appear fueled and ready to continue training over winter break. The Jumbos competed in three separate sessions over the two-day meet.
The 200 freestyle relay got the meet going for the Jumbos with freshman Will Parker (Frederick, MD), freshman John Devine (Oxford, MA), sophomore Austin Wood (Fort Washington, PA), and senior co-captain Owen Rood (Branford, CT) finishing fourth in 1:25.87.
Sophomore Kyle Savidge (South Windsor, CT) finished in a season-best and team-leading 4:54.83 in the 500 freestyle for ninth. Sophomore Drew Berman (Miami, FL) had the best performance for the team in the 200 individual medley finishing in an impressive 2:00.70. Right behind him was sophomore Christian Jones (Lewisville, NC) who finished with a 2:01.35.
Rood finished fifth in the 5 yard freestyle with a season-best 21.41, which puts him second in the NESCAC this year. Devine also had a great swim in the 50 finishing in 22.03 which puts him sixth in the NESCAC.
Jones and senior Lou Tamposi (Lecanto, FL) had great swims in the 400 individual medley with Jones finishing in 4:20.59 while Tamposi finished in 4:24.19. Devine and senior EJ Testa (Cheshire, CT) had fast 100 butterfly times finishing in 53.86 and 53.88 respectively. Wood had the best time on the team in the 200 freestyle finishing in 1:47.05 for third in the NESCAC so far.
Rood and senior co-captain Joe McLoughlin (North Eastham, MA) showed off their versatility with impressive swims in the 100 breaststroke. Rood's 1:00.73 is good for second in the NESCAC this year while McLoughlin's 1:02.85 is good for ninth. Savidge finished eighth in the 100 backstroke with a 53.84 good enough for fifth in the NESCAC.
Freshman Mike Napolitano (Fenwood, NJ), Rood, Wood, and Savidge teamed up in the 800 freestyle relay to finish in 7:10.11, which is the fastest time in the NESCAC this year. Savidge had an impressive showing in the 1650 freestyle finishing in 16:52.57. Rood had a strong 100 freestyle finishing in 47.56 good for second in the NESCAC this year.
Berman and freshman Justin Choi (Iowa City, IA) swam great in the 200 breaststroke finishing in 2:15.03 and 2:17.05 respectively. In the final event of the meet, Devine, Berman, Wood, and Rood teamed up in the 400 freestyle relay for an impressive fourth place finish in 3:12.30 which is the fastest time in the NESCAC this year.
Tufts placed fourth as a team at MIT, accumulating 490.5 points. Host MIT was first with 1,397.5 points. Seven teams overall competed at the meet.
The Jumbos will travel to Fort Lauderdale, Florida for two weeks for their annual winter training trip during semester break, then are back in action on January 14 at Wesleyan with Williams.
Meet results
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Written by Reed Shimberg
