The William & Mary men's swimming team broke yet another Colonial Athletic Association Championships record on Saturday morning, and advanced 18 men out of qualifying to the final night of action.  That included three top qualifiers, and with W&M already assured the top seed in both the 1,650 free (which is run as timed finals) and the 400 free relay, that means the Tribe will have the center lane in five of this evening's six races.  After the four prelim rounds were completed, W&M projected to extend its lead in the team race with 771.5 points, ahead of Drexel with 594 in second and UNCW in third with 494.5 points.

200 Back
- Sophomore Jake Kealy (Wilton, Conn.) swam a season-fast 1:45.42 to nab the top spot in the 200 back, leading a Tribe sweep of the top three places.  His race was the eighth-fastest ever at W&M.
- Next to the wall was junior Lee Bradley (Crestwood, Ky.), who turned in a lifetime-best 1:46.98 for second overall, and to improve to ninth in school history.
- Finishing third overall was senior Joey Rento (Newport News, Va.), who swam a season-best 1:48.39.
- W&M will also have freshman Jack Galbraith (Vienna, Va.) in the championship finals, after he swam 1:49.45 for sixth place.
- Making the consolation heat for the Tribe was junior Colin Demers (Virginia Beach, Va.), touching the wall in a season-best 1:52.73 for 11th overall.
 

Place	Athlete	Time	Notes
1.	Jake Kealy	1:45.42	A finals, SB, #8 perf
2.	Lee Bradley	1:46.98	A finals, PB, #9 ath
3.	Joey Rento	1:48.39	A finals, SB
6.	Jack Galbraith	1:49.45	A finals
11.	Colin Demers	1:52.73	B finals, SB
18.	Kade Younger	1:57.69

100 Free
- Already the conference record holder in the 50 free this week, junior Colin Wright (Williamsburg, Va.) electrified the pool in the prelims of the 100 free, swimming 42.95 to earn the top seed by more than 1.4 seconds.  That time broke not only his own school record of 43.77 set two years ago, but also the CAA Championships record of 43.56 by Drexel's Joel Berryman in 2016, and the CAA league record of 43.43 by ODU's Sidni Hoxha in 2012.  Wright is looking to join Brent Holsten of Richmond (in 1994) as the only men to win the three shortest free events in the same year, and to become the first ever to win the 100 free in non-consecutive seasons.
- Wright'll be joined in the championship section by three teammates, including junior Ian Thompson (Alexandria, Va.) who swam a season-fast 44.60 for third overall.
- Also in the A final is senior Eric Grimes (Louisville, Ky.), who swam a lifetime-best 45.11 for sixth overall, and to improve to 10th all-time at W&M.
- Sophomore Christopher Pfuhl (Charlotte, N.C.) has been swimming well all week long, and turned in another lifetime-best 45.23 to finish eighth overall and take the last spot in the championship finals.  Pfuhl now ranks 12th all-time among Tribe athletes in the event.
- Advancing to the consolation finals was redshirt-senior Evan Baker (Chantilly, Va.), who stopped the clock in a season-fast 45.39 seconds for 10th overall.
 

Place	Athlete	Time	Notes
1.	Colin Wright	42.95	A finals, CAA Record, School Record, NCAA Provisional
3.	Ian Thompson	44.60	A finals, SB
6.	Eric Grimes	45.11	A finals, PB, #10 ath
8.	Christopher Pfuhl	45.23	A finals, PB, #12 ath
10.	Evan Baker	45.39	SB

200 Breast
- In the 200 breast, junior Ben Skopic (Marriottsville, Md.) earned top honors with a lifetime-best showing, stopping the clock in 1:59.59 to break two minutes for the first time.  That was the 13th-fastest race in school history, and ranks Skopic fourth all-time among Tribe athletes.
- Senior Brooks Peterson (Carrollton, Va.) swam another lifetime-best of his won, timing 2:00.93 for the third seed just ahead of junior Ian Bidwell (Pelham, N.Y.) who was fourth in another lifetime-best of 2:00.97.  The pair now ranks fifth and sixth all-time at W&M, respectively.
- Freshman Ryan Bebel (Westfield, N.J.) advanced to the consolation finals in 2:03.40, finishing ninth overall to earn the top seed in his heat.  He'll be joined in the consolation heat by sophomore Devin McNulty (Herndon, Va.), who swam a season-best 2:06.44 for 16th overall.
 

Place	Athlete	Time	Notes
1.	Ben Skopic	1:59.59	A finals, PB, #13 perf, #4 ath
3.	Brooks Peterson	2:00.93	A finals, PB, #5 ath
4.	Ian Bidwell	2:00.97	A finals, PB, #6 ath
9.	Ryan Bebel	2:03.40	B finals
16.	Devin McNulty	2:06.44	B finals, SB

200 Fly
- The final event of the morning was the 200 fly, where junior Jack Doherty (Middletown, Conn.) chopped nearly three seconds off his lifetime-best to earn the second seed in the championship finals.  Doherty's time of 1:46.79 was the fifth-fastest race ever at W&M, and ranks him fourth all-time among athletes.
- Also making the championship final was freshman Steven Thalblum (Ashburn, Va.), who swam a collegiate-best 1:48.67 for fifth overall.  Thalblum now ranks sixth all-time among Tribe athletes.
- The senior Rento, swimming his second event of the day, made his second final of the day and advanced to the consolation finals with a season-best time of 1:51.51.
 

Place	Athlete	Time	Notes
2.	Jack Doherty	1:46.79	A finals, PB, #5 perf, #4 ath
5.	Steven Thalblum	1:48.67	A finals, SB, CB, #6 ath
12.	Joey Rento	1:51.51	B finals, SB

The finals of all four events, as well as the 1,650 free and the 400 free relay, begins tonight at 6 p.m.  The meet is being streamed live and for free on CAA.TV.

2019 CAA Men's Swimming & Diving Championships
Projected Team Standings After Saturday Prelims
1. William & Mary 771.5
2. Drexel 594
3. UNCW 494.5
4. Towson 441
5. Delaware 109