Xavier University Athletics
Xavier Men's Swimming Claims 2020 BIG EAST Championship
02.29.20 | Swimming, Featured
Title is the Musketeers’ fifth in seven years in the BIG EAST
EAST MEADOW, N.Y. - Xavier men's swimming brings home the program's second-straight BIG EAST Championship from Long Island after a four-day conference championship meet at the Nassau County Aquatic Center. The title marks the fifth time in the seven years since Xavier joined the BIG EAST that the Musketeers have claimed the men's league title, also winning in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2019.
Xavier won despite not competing in diving after putting multiple swimmers in each event's championship final, including making up half of the eight-person Championship heats the 50 Free and the 100 Fly.
After closing out the first day in fourth place, the Musketeers put 14 qualifiers in finals heats on the second day, including eight in championship finals. Xavier closed out the second day with a tie for first in the 200 Free relay to pull their point total into a tie for the lead with Villanova going into the third day.
The Musketeers took control on day three, pushing ahead by 50 points over the second-place team after putting 20 competitors in finals heats, including 14 Championship heat swimmers. In both the 100 Fly and the 200 Free, Xavier had three men finish in the top four position, helping the Musketeers move into the final day with 514.5 total points.
On Saturday night, Xavier had 15 compete in finals heats, including 10 in Championship finals and four competitors in the 1,650 Free. Andrew Martin started off the day with a school-record and NCAA B-Cut performance in the mile to win the conference title. Landon Clark book-ended the day by repeating as 200 Fly Champion to close out the individual events, posting a school record time. Brandon Abboud touched second to help secure the conference title. After placing second in the 400 Free Relay, Xavier finished with 780.5 points, leading second place Georgetown by 73.5 points
Xavier collected three event championships, in the 1,650 Free, 200 Fly and 200 Free Relay, and had 32 All-Conference performances by 10 student-athletes. Freshman freestyle distance specialist Andrew Martin led the Musketeers in individual points scored, winning the BIG EAST Championship in the 1,650 Free and collecting a pair of second-place finishes in the 200 Free and 500 Free, posting school records in all three races. Landon Clark and Jon Bernard also set a new school records during the meet.
Xavier head coach Brent MacDonald and his staff were named BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year on the men's side.
50 Free: Christian Thomas (3rd)
200 Free: Andrew Martin (2nd), Ben Quon (3rd)
500 Free: Andrew Martin (2nd)
Mile: Andrew Martin (1st), Will Serad (3rd)
100 Back: Alex Sironen (3rd)
200 Breast: Jon Bernard (3rd)
100 Fly: Landon Clark (2nd), Brandon Abboud (3rd)
200 Fly: Landon Clark (1st), Brandon Abboud (2nd)
200 Free Relay: Alex Sironen, Noah Coomler, Brandon Abboud, Christian Thomas (T-1st)
400 Free Relay: Alex Sironen, Brandon Abboud, Jared Ritz, Christian Thomas (2nd)
800 Free Relay: Jared Ritz, Jon Bernard, Ben Quon, Andrew Martin (3rd)
200 Medley Relay: Alex Sironen, Jon Bernard, Brandon Abboud, Christian Thomas (3rd)
400 Medley Relay: Alex Sironen, Jon Bernard, Landon Clark, Christian Thomas (3rd)
Xavier's Men Win 2020 BIG EAST Championship by Xavier Musketeers on Exposure
Xavier won despite not competing in diving after putting multiple swimmers in each event's championship final, including making up half of the eight-person Championship heats the 50 Free and the 100 Fly.
After closing out the first day in fourth place, the Musketeers put 14 qualifiers in finals heats on the second day, including eight in championship finals. Xavier closed out the second day with a tie for first in the 200 Free relay to pull their point total into a tie for the lead with Villanova going into the third day.
The Musketeers took control on day three, pushing ahead by 50 points over the second-place team after putting 20 competitors in finals heats, including 14 Championship heat swimmers. In both the 100 Fly and the 200 Free, Xavier had three men finish in the top four position, helping the Musketeers move into the final day with 514.5 total points.
On Saturday night, Xavier had 15 compete in finals heats, including 10 in Championship finals and four competitors in the 1,650 Free. Andrew Martin started off the day with a school-record and NCAA B-Cut performance in the mile to win the conference title. Landon Clark book-ended the day by repeating as 200 Fly Champion to close out the individual events, posting a school record time. Brandon Abboud touched second to help secure the conference title. After placing second in the 400 Free Relay, Xavier finished with 780.5 points, leading second place Georgetown by 73.5 points
Xavier collected three event championships, in the 1,650 Free, 200 Fly and 200 Free Relay, and had 32 All-Conference performances by 10 student-athletes. Freshman freestyle distance specialist Andrew Martin led the Musketeers in individual points scored, winning the BIG EAST Championship in the 1,650 Free and collecting a pair of second-place finishes in the 200 Free and 500 Free, posting school records in all three races. Landon Clark and Jon Bernard also set a new school records during the meet.
Xavier head coach Brent MacDonald and his staff were named BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year on the men's side.
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ALL-BIG EAST PERFORMANCES |
200 Free: Andrew Martin (2nd), Ben Quon (3rd)
500 Free: Andrew Martin (2nd)
Mile: Andrew Martin (1st), Will Serad (3rd)
100 Back: Alex Sironen (3rd)
200 Breast: Jon Bernard (3rd)
100 Fly: Landon Clark (2nd), Brandon Abboud (3rd)
200 Fly: Landon Clark (1st), Brandon Abboud (2nd)
200 Free Relay: Alex Sironen, Noah Coomler, Brandon Abboud, Christian Thomas (T-1st)
400 Free Relay: Alex Sironen, Brandon Abboud, Jared Ritz, Christian Thomas (2nd)
800 Free Relay: Jared Ritz, Jon Bernard, Ben Quon, Andrew Martin (3rd)
200 Medley Relay: Alex Sironen, Jon Bernard, Brandon Abboud, Christian Thomas (3rd)
400 Medley Relay: Alex Sironen, Jon Bernard, Landon Clark, Christian Thomas (3rd)
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VIDEO |
🎥 | Xavier's men tie for first in the BIG EAST Championship Final of the 200 Free Relay!#LetsGoX pic.twitter.com/zYTitQA9bX
— Xavier Swimming (@XavierSWIM) February 28, 2020
🎥 | Three Musketeers finish in the top four of the mile!#LetsGoX pic.twitter.com/CwSN6IxEfu
— Xavier Swimming (@XavierSWIM) February 29, 2020
🎥 | Big time performances by a couple of seniors to go 1-2 in 200 Fly! Landon Clark repeats as BIG EAST Champion and Brandon Abboud touches in second.#LetsGoX pic.twitter.com/UAobGAIOdy
— Xavier Swimming (@XavierSWIM) March 1, 2020
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PHOTOS |
Xavier's Men Win 2020 BIG EAST Championship by Xavier Musketeers on Exposure
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