The William & Mary men's swimming team began the 2021 season on Saturday, earning a split on the road against George Mason and Delaware.  The Tribe fell to the host Patriots, 152-105, and edged conference-rivals Delaware, 128-126, to start the year at 1-1 overall and 1-0 in Colonial Athletic Association play.

Leading the way for the Tribe on the day was junior Graham Hertweck (Greensboro, N.C.), who earned three wins and a total of 39.75 points.  Hertweck began the day by sweeping the 50 free in 20.74 seconds, and cam back to win the 100 free against Delaware in a time of 45.77 seconds,  Sophomore Owen Miller (Kalamazoo, Mich.) had a pair of wins, taking the 500 free against GMU in 4:42.30, and stopping the clock in 16:51.91 to win the 1,650 free over the Blue Hens.  Sophomore Kyle Demers (Virginia Beach, Va.) won the 200 breast against GMU with a time of 2:06.76, and two freshmen rounded out the individual wins with one apiece.  Cole Younger (Newport News, Va.) touched the final wall in the 200 IM in 1:54.11 to beat Delaware, and his classmate Eugenio Massari (New York, N.Y.) also took down the Blue Hens in the 200 free, timing 1:42.87.  William & Mary also won the 200 free relay against Delaware, with the team of Hertweck, Diego Cruzado (Vienna, Va.), Christopher Pfuhl (Charlotte, N.C.), and John O'Hara (Fredericksburg, Va.) teaming up to swim 1:24.41.

William & Mary has next weekend off, and will return to action on Saturday, March 6, with a virtual dual against Davidson.