Bridger Thurston ’23 makes one of the final dives of his VMI career at the America East Championship Meet in Worcester, Massachusetts, Feb. 22–25, 2023. At the competition, VMI men’s and women’s swimming and diving capped a successful season by shattering school records.—Photo courtesy VMI Keydets.
The VMI men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams completed a highly successful first season under Scott Thacker, first-year head coach. The Keydets concluded the year by breaking 17 records at the America East Championship Meet in Worcester, Massachusetts, Feb. 22–25, 2023.
On the first day of the AE Meet, Chino Vera ’24, Chase Lane ’24, Malik Nelson ’26, and Jack Sheehan ’23 set a new team record in the men’s 200 medley relay, while Noelle Tong ’26, Anne Bowles ’24, Jillian Maher ’24, and Kate Taylor ’24 set a new record in the women’s race. On day two, Nelson snapped the school and freshman records in the 50 free. Sheehan set a new school record in the 200 individual medley, and Tong broke the Keydet freshman mark in the 50 free.
In day three’s competition, Nelson set a new freshman record and broke an hours-old varsity record in the men’s 100 fly. Collin Marks ’24 broke the 100 fly varsity record in the prelims, only to see it shattered by Nelson soon thereafter. Ethan Griffith ’25 broke his own team record set in the morning in the 400 IM, while Sheehan set a new team record in the 100 breast. The men’s 400 medley relay team also broke the school record.
On the final day, Sheehan broke the team record in the 200 breast, while Nelson and Tong broke the freshman records in the men’s and women’s 100 free. Connor Doyle ’23 exceeded the program mark in the 200 back. In the 400 free relay, Tong, Taylor, Maher, and Carter broke the women’s team record, and Sheehan, Vera, Nelson, and Marks broke the men’s team record.
Two highly decorated divers concluded their VMI careers, as Bridger Thurston ’23 finished sixth in the 1-meter diving final and fifth in the 3-meter, and London Yerasimides ’23 was sixth on the 1-meter diving board.
