GREENSBORO, NC (March 20, 2024) – In his first-ever NCAA appearance, freshman
Rafae Shafi of the Tufts University men's swimming & diving team earned All-American honors with the team's top finish on day one of the national championship meet Wednesday.
Tufts also got a strong effort from junior
Soeren Euvrard, who won the consolation final in the 50 freestyle and anchored Tufts to another consolation final win in the 200 medley relay as well.
Seven Jumbos posted All-American performances in four events today, helping head coach
Adam Hoyt's team stand seventh in the team scoring standings after day one.
Shafi made the championship final in the 500 freestyle this morning with a 4:27.70 mark in the preliminaries. In the final tonight, he led at the 200 mark and finished fifth overall in 4:25.78.
Two Jumbos were in the consolation final for the 50 freestyle tonight. Euvrard had been the 24th seed entering the 50 free preliminaries, but had a 20.11 mark that was ninth to put him in the consolation final. He then won that race in 20.07 for ninth overall for his first-ever individual All-American honor. Graduate student
Peter LaBarge earned his 11th career All-American honor in the 50 free consolation final tonight, when he tied for fourth giving him 12th place overall in a 20.23 time.
To close Wednesday, Tufts' 200 medley relay won the consolation final after being 15th in the prelims. The team of junior
Eric Lundgren, junior
Emmett Adams, sophomore
Armaan Sikka and Euvrard put together a 1:27.70 time that was 0.12 off the school record. The relay took ninth overall. The honorable mention All-American honor increased the career All-American totals to eight for Lundgren, five for Sikka and four for Adams. Euvrard had his second of the day and third overall.
Also in his first NCAA appearance, standout freshman
Jay Wilkinson had an honorable mention All-American finish of 16th place in the consolation final of three-meter springboard diving Wednesday. He compiled a 404.90 score. Junior
Cameron Yuen was also a diving qualifier and was 24th in today's event (360.15).
Tufts had four swimmers in the 200 individual medley preliminaries this morning. Lundgren had the best time with a 1:50.66 for 29th place. Also in the event were Sikka (1:53.44 for 42nd), freshman
Jack Nussbaum (1:55.23 for 46th) and junior
Ethan Schreier (1:55.48 for 47th).
The Jumbos will have entries in Thursday's action at the NCAA meet for the 200 freestyle relay, 100 butterfly, 200 freestyle and 400 medley relay.
--JUMBOS--
