Emma Schaible/Fourth Estate
Men’s and women’s swimming and track teams break records, and women’s track and field wins first title since 2014
BY JASON RAGUSA, STAFF WRITER
The George Mason men’s and women’s swimming teams set four new team records and one conference record at the Atlantic 10 Championship at the Hampton Aquaplex in Hampton, Va, while the women’s indoor track and field team earned its first conference title since 2014.
Men’s Swimming
The men’s team secured victory in the 800-yard freestyle relay, clocking in at 6:24.73, marking a team and conference record. The relay team included senior Zane Roberts, junior Tate Anderson, sophomores Alex Crown and Cody Scifres, winning the event by nearly two seconds. Anderson also set a team record with his leadoff performance, setting the tone for the rest of the team. He finished his junior campaign with 11 first-place finishes and six second-place finishes. In the 200-yard medley relay — a race where each swimmer uses a different stroke in a strategic order— the squad consisted of graduate student Kyle Johnson, seniors Tyler Lentine and Zane Roberts, and sophomore Ian Rodgers . The team finished in second place, establishing a new team record with a time of 1:26.43. The athletes’ efforts not only broke records but also demonstrated their commitment to excellence, positioning the team for continued success at Mason.
Women’s Swimming
The women’s team set a new team record in the 800-yard freestyle relay, finishing with a time of 7:17.67. Seniors Ali Tyler, Sydney Atkins, Emma DeJong and sophomore Kristen Ivey secured fourth place.
Tyler claimed the gold medal for the second year in a row with a time of 48.62. She also earned three individual titles and set new conference and team records in the 100-yard freestyle, 200-yard individual medley, and 100-yard backstroke. Tyler was awarded the Most Outstanding Swimmer at the A-10 championship. She also played a key role in helping the Patriots win two relay medals: gold in the 400-yard medley relay and silver in the 400-yard freestyle relay.
Men’s Indoor Track and Field
The men’s indoor track and field team finished in second place at the championship, behind Rhode Island, which came in first for the fifth consecutive year. However, the Patriots took the top three spots in the men’s 60-meter hurdles, with graduate student Joshua Sutton earning gold, junior Albert Asare securing silver and freshman Davian Burke winning bronze.
Senior Paul McClain won gold in the 500m race.The men’s 4×400-meter relay team – composed of Mason Samuels, Lance Koontz, Max Karen and Jordan Tuck — secured a gold medal for the Patriots. Sophomore Abdurrazzaq Hassan earned bronze in the heptathlon. With the success of Mason’s track and field team, Head Coach Andrew Gerard and his staff were recognized as the Atlantic 10 Coaching Staff of the Year.
Women’s Indoor Track and Field
The women’s indoor track and field team was crowned A-10 Champions for the first time since 2014. As the championship came to a close, the 4×400-meter relay became the decisive event. George Mason held a 2.5-point lead over VCU and needed to maintain or extend that margin to secure the title. The relay team of Chairley Bido, Simone Hamlar, Helena Santacana and Ay’rianna Moore clinched the victory for the Patriots.
In addition to winning the conference championship, senior Abby Weening won gold in the high jump, contributing to Mason’s lead over VCU. She was named the Most Outstanding Field Performer for her achievements in both the pentathlon and high jump. These achievements marked a significant milestone for the team, as they not only secured the championship but also set the stage for future competition in the Atlantic 10 Conference.