Brockport, NY – The men's and women's swimming and diving teams are gearing up for the 2026-27 season following a strong 2025-26 campaign. Under the direction of Head Coach Zach Wahl, the Golden Eagles look to build on last season's success after both programs secured second-place finishes at the Empire 8 Championships. The teams will open the 2026-27 season at Cortland for their Pumpkin Relays Invite on Saturday, October 10th at 1 pm.
2025-26 Men's Team Recap: The men's team is coming off an impressive 2025-26 season, highlighted by a second-place finish at the Empire 8 Championships with 641.5 points, improving from fourth place the previous year. The Golden Eagles picked up key dual-meet victories over Hartwick (193-105), Nazareth (195-53), Hobart (228-48), and Fredonia (174-31). Brockport also secured a second-place finish at the Blue Devil Invitational, collecting 1,593.5 points.
At the Empire 8 Championships, the men's team posted several record-breaking performances. Matt Cole, Liam Farrell, Joe Keeney, and Zander Benz combined for a bronze medal in the 200-yard medley relay, setting a school record with a time of 1:35.23. Erik Parkes, Anthony O'Leary, Alex Nicita, and Carter Lundin added another program record in the 800-yard freestyle relay, finishing third in 7:08.66. Nicita also earned a fifth-place finish in the 1,650-yard freestyle, touching the wall in 16:57.32. In the 400-yard freestyle relay, Benz, O'Leary, Lundin, and Parkes barely missed the podium, finishing fourth with a time of 3:13.02.
On the diving board, freshman Brenden Jardin-Reed emerged as a standout performer, earning silver in the 1-meter competition with a score of 494.35 at the Empire 8 Championships. Jardin-Reed advanced to the NCAA Division III Diving Regionals, where he placed fourth in the 1-meter event with a score of 456.90 and ninth in the 3-meter event with 396.45 points.
2025-26 Women's Team Recap: The women's team is coming off a remarkable season, finishing second overall at the Empire 8 Championships with 746.5 points after placing third the previous year. The Golden Eagles closed out the championship meet with several medal-winning performances, contributing to a historic showing for the program. Freshman Anna Lowe emerged as a standout performer, earning bronze in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 53.34 and sharing silver in the 100-yard backstroke with a finals time of 58.26. Lowe also set a school record in the 100-yard backstroke preliminaries, touching the wall in 57.52. Hannah Ramos added another school record in the 200-yard backstroke, finishing fifth with a time of 2:10.47.
The women's relay teams also found success throughout the championships. Maddie Erhardt, Skylar King, Varshana Ramgulam, and Anna Lowe combined for a silver medal in the 400-yard freestyle relay, finishing in 3:35.74. In the 200-yard medley relay, Lowe, Lindsey Spitz, Erhardt, and King earned silver with a time of 1:48.39. On the diving side, Ashley Oswald and Brylee Weisenburg both advanced to the NCAA Division III Diving Regionals, adding to the team's successful postseason.
Key Returns: Both teams have several athletes from the 2025-26 roster who could play important roles entering the new season. On the men's side, Matt Cole, Zander Benz, Carter Lundin, Erik Parkes, Alex Nicita, and Anthony O'Leary are among the potential returning contributors following strong championship performances. Freshmen standouts from last season, including Nicita and O'Leary, will look to build on their first-year success, while Brenden Jardin-Reed enters the new campaign following an impressive NCAA Regional appearance.
The women's team has a strong group of potential returning contributors, including Anna Lowe, Hannah Ramos, Maddie Erhardt, Skylar King, Varshana Ramgulam, and Sarah Colwell. Lowe and King made immediate impacts during their freshman seasons, while Ramos and Ramgulam helped lead several strong performances throughout the year. Divers Ashley Oswald and Brylee Weisenburg also look to build on their NCAA Regional appearances.
Weekend Preview: The Golden Eagles will open their 2026-27 campaign on Saturday, October 10th, traveling to Cortland, NY, for the annual Cortland Pumpkin Relays. Competition is scheduled to begin at 1:00 PM at Harriet Holsten Pool. Brockport returns to the event after a strong showing last season, with the women's team earning second place out of four teams with 237 points, while the men's team finished third out of five programs with 213 points. Both squads will look to build on last year's performances as they begin a new season following their historic runner-up finishes at the Empire 8 Championships.
Up Next: The Golden Eagles will head to Alfred on Saturday, October 24th at 1 pm.
