2025-26 Tufts University Men's Swimming & Diving Season Preview

MEDFORD, MA (November 20, 2025) - Following the graduation of one of the most successful classes that the team has ever seen, the Tufts University men's swimming & diving team returns to action this week with a new group of leaders eager to continue the program's path of success.

Seven individuals who have achieved All-American status in their careers are back as head coach Adam Hoyt's squad begins its 2025-26 season with a quad meet at Williams College on Saturday and then home action in Hamilton Pool against Brandeis University on Sunday.

Seniors Nate Pfeffer and Armaan Sikka, juniors Will Kaminski, Rafae Shafi and Jay Wilkinson and sophomores Ron Lyubman and Campbell McFall have all received All-American accolades. Each has made a contribution to the team's three-year run of top 10 finishes at the NCAA Championships and runner-up performances at the NESCAC meet. 

As new leaders they will have big shoes to fill. The Class of 2025 including Emmett Adams, Charlie Duffy, Soeren Euvrard, Eric Lundgren and Ethan Schreier left behind a legacy that included a combined 52 All-American awards earned by the group. These Jumbos led the team to a seventh-place finish at the 2025 NCAA Championships, Tufts' best since 2018.

"With 11 men having graduated, we're excited to see our returning members step up into leadership roles on our team," said head coach Adam Hoyt. "We have 11 first-year men joining the team this year and we'll look for them to have an immediate impact.  We'll look for the depth of our team to shine and help us compete with the best in the country."

Here's a closer look at the Jumbos by event:

BACKSTROKE: Lundgren dominated the backstroke events for the Jumbos over the last four years and now the team is rebuilding in this area. Sophomore Sam Harris had the top performance among returnees with his 12th in the 200 at the conference meet a year ago. Classmate Campbell McFall was top 20 scorer in the 50 and led off the team's 200 medley B relay at the conference meet. Pfeffer and Shafi are rostered here, and a handful of newcomers will look to contribute.

BREASTSTROKE: Junior Jack Nussbaum is the team's record-holder in the 200. He was ninth in that event and 16th in the 100 at the conference meet. Kaminski, a consolation finalist in the 50 breaststroke at NESCAC's, and senior Connor Townson, 15th at the NESCAC meet in the 200, are veteran contributors. The Jumbos will look for senior Jack Moore and juniors Evan Wang and Arbert Xu to step up, while like in the backstroke some newcomers will also bolster this group.   

BUTTERFLY: The team's top returnee, Sikka is a 13-time All-American who has had a lot his success in the butterfly. He swam the butterfly leg with Lundgren, Adams and Euvrard in the 200 medley relay that was the co-national champion last March. The school-record holder in the 50 and 100, he was fourth in the NESCAC and 28th at NCAA's for the 100 in 2025. He was also a conference finalist in the 50. Pfeffer placed 13th in NESCAC 200, where sophomore Timmy Brady was 16th. Moore and sophomores Cole Aguirre, Alp Hosgor and Nicolas Tudoras will look to take on larger roles along with a few freshmen.

DIVING: Now a junior, Wilkinson was the 2024 NESCAC Diver of the Year after winning on both boards. His return is welcomed after he missed the championship season last year due to injury. Junior Elias Brandt stepped up in 2025 and was fourth in one-meter and sixth in three-meter at the conference meet. He was then sixth in three-meter at the NCAA Regionals to earn a spot as an NCAA alternate.

FREESTYLE: The distance group is strong, led by Shafi who holds all four Jumbo distance records (200, 500, 1000 and 1650) and was a three-time NESCAC runner-up as a freshman. His top performance from last year was a fifth in the 500. Lyubman had a strong debut season for the Jumbos. He was fourth in NESCAC and 21st nationally in the 500, fifth/20th in the 1650 and sixth/27th for the 200. Godino earned three top 10 distance free finishes at NESCAC's, led by a fourth in the 1000. Pfeffer is also a part of the veteran distance depth. Sikka and Kaminski return as the top sprinters, as they were fourth in the 100 and seventh in the 50 at NESCAC's, respectively. Sikka swam in the 100 at the national meet. Junior Jan Springer was a conference consolation finalist in the 50 and 100 for 2025, while Harris also scored well in the 200 at NESCAC's. McFall and junior Joshua Harrison are at the front of a group of others who can contribute.

INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY: Townson made the championship finals in both events at NESCAC's last year, placing sixth in the 400 and seventh in the 200. Brady is coming off a 12th in the 400 at the conference meet, and Pfeffer scored 14th in that event. Wang and Tudoras as well as a few freshmen will compete for opportunities here as well.

RELAYS: Kaminski, Lyubman, McFall, Sikka and Shafi all held starting roles on All-American relays in 2025. In addition to helping the 200 medley foursome win the conference and share the national title, Sikka swam with the 400 medley relay that was sixth at NCAA's, the 800 free relay that was eighth nationally and the 400 free relay that placed 12th at NCAA's. Lyubman and Shafi were also on the All-American 800 free relay, while Kaminski and McFall were part of the 10th-place 200 freestyle relay at the national meet. Springer, Pfeffer, Harris and Nussbaum all played B relay roles at the NESCAC meet and will look to move up this season.