CMS Men's Swim and Dive Battles DI Competition Close on Opening Day

SAN DIEGO, Calif. - The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps men's swimming and diving team opened its 2023-24 season in a tri-meet against UC San Diego and CSU Bakersfield and performed well, falling to Bakersfield by just 16 points (158-142), while dropping a 192-102 decision to the host Tritons. 

The returning All-Americans for the Stags got off to a great start, with Lucas Lang taking first in the 1000 with a time of 9:34.99. Lang also added a third-place finish in the 500 free with a 4:41.12. 

Frank Applebaum, meanwhile, swam a 1:47.82 in the 200 fly in his first race of the year, not far behind his pace of NCAA Division III record pace of 1:43.96 that he set last year in repeating as national champion. He was edged by Vili Sivec of CSU Bakersfield by just .15, but showed that he is going to be hard to beat in his quest for a third straight national title. He also came in third in the 100 fly in 49.63. 

Theo Johnson earned third place in the 50 free with a 21.29, while Anderson Breazeale was third in the 200 back in 1:51.44.  The Stags were also third in the opening 200-yard medley relay with Breazeale, Evan Deedy, Applebaum and Johnson combining to finish in 1:33.55. 

In the diving competition, CMS finished 2-5 in the one-meter, with Ethan Sattley second, Ben Smith third, Luke Vlases fourth and Bennet Matazzoni fifth. Matazzoni was also third in the three-meter. 

CMS will be back in action on Nov. 4, when it takes on Chapman and Whittier in a tri-meet at Axelrood Pool.