Men’s Swimming Glides Past Regis College, 141-82

CHICOPEE, Mass. – Elms College sophomore Ethan Etheridge (Pawtucket, R.I.) notched a pair of school records and a new pool record, and the 400-meter freestyle relay team also clocked a new pool and school record to help lift the Blazers to a 141-82 victory over Regis College in Saturday afternoon's dual meet at Partyka Natatorium.

With the win, Elms improves to 6-2 overall, while Regis falls to 2-5 on the season.

Etheridge powered to a school record time of 2:41.95 in the 200-meter breaststroke and broke the 100-meter freestyle pool and school record during the first leg of the 400-meter freestyle relay notching a time of 55.43. Etheridge broke Zack LeBarron's record of 56.72 which was set in 2009 and Regis' AJ Graf's (Newton, Mass.) pool record mark of 56.62 which was set in 2012.

Graf set a new Elms pool record in the 50-meter freestyle (24.82), while Kiet Luong (Malden, Mass.) secured a new pool record in the 50-meter backstroke with a time of 28.26. Luong also won the 50-meter butterfly with a pool record mark of 26.63 which was just ahead of Blazers' senior Keegan Goan (Westbrook, Maine) who notched a new school record time of 26.76.

The 400-meter freestyle relay team of Etheridge, Goan, freshman Nicklaus Cirillo (Gloversville, N.Y.) and senior Aaron Starke (Chicopee, Mass.) set a new school and pool record with a time of 3:47.05.

Etheridge won three individual events for Elms including the 50-meter breaststroke (31.08), the 100-meter freestyle (1:00.84) in addition to the school record in the 200-meter breaststroke.

Goan won the 100-meter butterfly (1:01.52) and the 100-meter backstroke (1:08.90) just ahead of sophomore James Grippo (Longmeadow, Mass.) who notched a time of 1:08.98 in the event.

Grippo and senior Andrew Pioggia (East Longmeadow, Mass.) finished first and second in the 800-meter freestyle with respective times of 9:54.28 and 12:56.91, while Grippo added a top finish in the 400-meter individual medley with a time of 5:25.80.

Starke was the final men's swimmer to register top honors in an individual event with a winning time of 34.40 in the 50-meter backstroke.

The 200-meter medley relay squad of Grippo, sophomore Mikhail Kuyuzov (Swampscott, Mass.), Pioggia and junior Niels Thomsen (Southington, Conn.) clocked a second place time of 2:07.13.

Elms concludes dual meet action on Saturday, February 1 with a 1:00 p.m. contest at the University of New England.