Smith Sets 100 Backstroke Mark as Men's Swimming & Diving Sweeps Tri-Meet

WESTON, Mass. -- Senior Richard Smith (Milford, Mass.) set the school record in the 100 backstroke as the Bridgewater State University men's swimming & diving team swept a tri-meet hosted by Regis College on Saturday.

The Bears (8-5) posted a 179-87 victory over the host Pride and cruised to a 201-54 win over Husson University.

Smith recorded a time of 52.99 seconds to win the 100 backstroke as he eclipsed the previous BSU standard of 53.12 seconds set by teammate Jameson Rose (Somerset, Mass.) in 2016. Smith now holds five individual school records as well as three relay marks.

Smith also had the top performance in the 100 individual medley (56.83) as he swam the event as an exhibition.

The Bears' foursome of Smith, sophomore Dylon Willis (Attleboro, Mass.), freshman Quinn McAlear (Norton, Mass.) and sophomore Giulian Santos (Framingham, Mass.) opened the meet with a win in the 200 medley relay (1:38.49).

Willis also placed first in both the 50 breaststroke (27.98) and the 100 breaststroke (1:00.82), while Santos captured top honors in the 50 freestyle (22.42) and the 50 butterfly (24.20).

Rose was the first to touch the wall in both the 200 freestyle (1:53.11) and the 500 freestyle (5:20.32).

Senior Max Medina (Marion, Mass.) and junior Alexander Belinsky (Norton, Mass.) rounded out the Bears' event winners. Medina finished first in the 50 backstroke (28.51), while Belinsky won the one-meter diving competition with an 11-dive score of 379.31 points.

Santos, McAlear, Rose and Smith swam the 200 freestyle relay as an exhibition and posted the top time of 1:30.04.

The Bears are off until next Saturday when they host a tri-meet with Babson College and Norwich University.