Men’s Swimming & Diving Places First at BSU Invitational

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University men's swimming & diving team hosted the BSU Invitational on Saturday at the Moriarty Pool.

The Bears placed first out of four teams at the 21-event meet with 1,048 points as they easily outdistanced Plymouth State University (418 pts.), Regis College (337 pts.) and Gordon College (216 pts.).

Bridgewater State recorded the top time in 16 of the 19 swimming events.

Juniors Cooper Castellone (South Windsor, Conn.), Brennan Gravanda (Wilbraham, Mass.) and Joseph Pervier (Baldwinville, Mass.), and senior Chris Anastasiades (Wakefield, Mass.) won the 200 medley relay with a season-best time of 1:41.53 to open the meet. Gravanda, Pervier, Anastasiades and senior Eric Silva (Dighton, Mass.) posted the top and season-best time of 1:31.67 in the 200 freestyle relay to close things out.

Anastasiades also won three individual events, as did sophomore Chase Simao (Stonington, Conn.), while Pervier picked up a pair of individual event victories.

Anastasiades captured top honors in the 50 butterfly (24.61), 50 freestyle (22.50) and 100 individual medley (58.25). His time in the 50 freestyle marked a collegiate-best, while his time in the 50 butterfly marked a season-best.

Simao was the first to touch the wall in the 400 individual medley (4:31.37), 200 individual medley (2:07.70) and 500 freestyle (5:10.29). Simao recorded career-best times in the 400 IM and 500 free, while his time in the 200 IM marked a season best.

Pervier posted season-best times in the 100 freestyle (50.45) and 50 backstroke (26.85) to win both events.

The Bears also received individual event victories from Castellone in the 100 breaststroke (1:02.67), Gravanda in the 100 backstroke (57.76), junior Luc Durand (Marblehead, Mass.) in the 200 freestyle (1:54.67), junior Connor Young (Chelmsford, Mass.) in the 200 backstroke (2:06.42), sophomore Cameron Stringfellow (Wrentham, Mass.) in the 1,000 freestyle (11:38.74) and freshman Ryan McKenzie (Charlton, Mass.) in the 50 backstroke (28.50). McKenzie and Young both recorded career-best times, while Castellone, Gravanda, Durand and Stringfellow posted season-best times.

"Both our men's and women's teams competed today with so much energy and enthusiasm," said Head Coach Mike Caruso. "They were so supportive of each other throughout the entire meet."

"Our assistant coaches also did an amazing job today motivating and supporting the student-athletes," Caruso noted. "They truly are invested in the success of the program."

"This was a great meet today and a big step in our journey to the Little East Conference Championships in February," Caruso added.

The BSU men's swimming and diving team is off until Saturday, January 21st when the Bears host a tri-meet with Brandeis University and Keene State College at one o'clock.