The William & Mary men's swimming team puts its undefeated record on the line this weekend, traveling to Durham, N.C., for a 1 p.m. match-up Saturday with No. 19 Duke and Old Dominion. The meet can be followed on the web with live results.
Scouting the TribeW&M is 4-0 on the year and completed conference action at 3-0 with a sweep of Delaware and UNCW last weekend. Senior
Jeremiah O'Donnell (Chapel Hill, N.C.) was named the CAA Swimmer of the Week for the second time this season, after going 6-0 at the Pod Meet. Classmates
Billy Russell (Newport News, Va.) and
Will Manion (Haddonfield, N.J.) have both also eclipsed the 90-point mark already this season, with Russell winning eight times and Manion seven times.
Scouting the Blue DevilsNo. 19 Duke is also undefeated at 3-0 on the year, and 2-0 in the ACC with wins over Pitt and Florida State. Peter Kropp leads the nation in the 100 breast at 52.13 and is seventh in the 200 breast at 1:59.01, while the 200 medley relay is also very strong (No. 3 in the NCAA) at 1:27.47.
Scouting the MonarchsOld Dominion is 1-2 on the year, after defeating Davidson last weekend. Top swimmers for the Monarchs include Jacob Zeidler in the 100 breast (56.32) and Reed Matthews in the fly events (49.38 and 1:49.03).
News and Notes- W&M is on a seven-match winning streak, dating back to the meet against Duke one year ago. That is the second-longest winning streak of the last 40 years, behind only the 13-match streak put together during the 1998-99 season.
- The Tribe has won eight of its last nine CAA meets, dating back to the start of the 2013-14 season.
- W&M's 3-0 mark in conference meets this year marks the second time in three years that the Tribe has gone undefeated against the Colonial Athletic Association (also 3-0 in 2013-14). It is also just the third time since the CAA began sponsoring men's swimming in 1985-86 that the Tribe has been undefeated against league teams (also 1998-99, 6-0).
- The last time the Tribe beat an ACC team was also against Duke, in 2002.
- O'Donnell's 3:59.30 time in the 400 IM last weekend was not only a Tribe dual-meet record, but also the first time that a Green and Gold swimmer has ever broken the 4-minute barrier in a dual meet.
- W&M is currently 8-0 in relay races this season.
- 23 of the 24 swimmers who have entered the water this season have scored at least a point.
- Ten different swimmers have won a total of 42 races so far this year
- At the CAA Pod Meet, W&M won 32 of the 34 swimming races conducted, losing only the mile and the 500 free against Delaware.
- Season Totals for the Year: 2 Personal Bests, 5 Dual-Meet Records, 3 Pool Records (2 by W&M)