LANCASTER, Pa. – On the heels of one of their best performances ever at the Centennial Conference championship, the Ursinus College men's swimming team placed seven of its members on the all-conference team announced officially on Thursday.
Senior William Benn (100 back) and sophomore James Callaghan (200 fly) were awarded first-team status, while senior Dylan Cooper (800 free relay), freshman Casey Lear (800 free relay), junior Colin McNamara (200 fly), freshman Jacob Menzer (200/500 free, 800 free relay), senior Marcus Wagner (800 free relay), Benn (200 back), and Callaghan (400 IM) received honorable mention. All-conference laurels are handed out based upon performance at the conference meet, with first-team honors going to gold medalists and honorable mention given to runners-up.
The seven all-conference selections are the most in Ursinus men's swimming history.
Benn had a hand in four school records over the three-day event for the Bears, who re-wrote their record books with 12 new benchmarks. Benn took gold in the 100 back with a time of 50.69 and placed second in the 200 back (1:52.73).
Callaghan enjoyed a breakout performance at the conference meet. The sophomore edged McNamara with a 1:54.43 in the 200 fly to become only the second Ursinus swimmer to win a conference title in the event – and the first since Chris Smith in 2012. The thrilling finish made Callaghan and McNamara the first pair of teammates in Ursinus history to go 1-2 in a championship event. The previous day, Callaghan shattered the program record in the 400 IM with an NCAA B cut 4:04.57 that garnered him the silver medal. Callaghan, who registered a 4:04.89 to win the preliminary heat, eclipsed the previous school benchmark by 3.81 seconds.
Cooper, Lear, Menzer, and Wagner turned in a clocking of 6:52.46 to place second in the 800 free relay. McNamara was involved in three record-breaking relays – he joined Benn, Cooper, and sophomore Travis Venables in the 200 free relay (1:25.43), teamed with Benn, Lear, and sophomore Maxwell Coulter in the 400 medley relay (3:28.27), and swam alongside Benn, Coulter, and Venables in the 200 medley relay (1:35.04).
Menzer capped his phenomenal rookie campaign with program records in the 200 free (1:41.70), 500 free (4:34.52), and 1650 free (16:12.92), earning silver medals in the first two.
Additionally, sophomore Daniel Becker was selected to the All-CC Sportsmanship Team.