Mays earns Rookie of the Meet honors, Bulldogs set program record at MAACs

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Freshman Matthew Mays (St Croix, Virgin Islands) earned Men's Swimming Rookie of the Meet honors after finishing his first Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Swimming and Diving Championships with two silver medals and a gold in the 200 fly, contributing to a Bulldogs' program-record score of 538.5 points through the four-night meet.

Coach Cameron's Comments

"We had a phenomenal championships. I am so proud of this group of men. They are a great group who broke a ton of school records and really swam with Bulldog pride from start to finish."

Prelims Highlights

• Mays started the day with a 1:48.18 in the 200 back, good for second in the prelims. He slotted fourth in the 200 fly (1:50.72) prelims as well.
• Senior Benon Boyadjian's (Middlebury, Conn.) 100 free (46.27) placed him seventh in the morning session, good for a spot in the A final.
• Senior Ben Schulte (Tumon, Guam) and junior Tavish Boyle (Springfield, N.J.) placed 1-2 in the 200 breast prelims, foreshadowing the night's events.
• Senior Colin Curtin (Wethersfield, Conn.) placed 10^th in the 200 back (1:52.32), setting up a great finish to his Bulldog career.
• Junior Oliver French (Nashua, N.H.) placed 10^th in the 200 fly prelims (1:52.52).

Finals Highlights

• French joined sophomore Robert Davis (Glastonbury, Conn.) as medalists in the mile, with French swimming a 16:09.48 and Davis swimming a 15:59.26.
• Mays recorded the first of his three medals on the night, placing in the silver spot of the 200 back (1:47.70).
• Curtin won his final individual race, taking the 200 back B final with a time of 1:50.82.
• Schulte (1:58.01) and Boyle (2:01.18) went 1-2 in a final for the second consecutive night, winning gold and silver for the Bulldogs in the 200 breast.
• Mays came back from 0.57 down with 50 yards left to win the 200 fly, the first individual gold of his Bulldog career.
• Bryant finished the meet with silver in the 400 free relay (3:01.89)

Stats and Notables

• The Bulldogs' relay set two school records, with Schulte's opening 100 of 44.95 also setting a record, along with the final time of 3:01.89.
• Mays set two school records in the prelims, then re-broke them in the nightcap.
• This is the second consecutive year that Schulte and Boyle went 1-2 in the 200 breast.
• Bryant's 538.5 points eclipses the 511 total they put together in the 2016 version of the meet.
• Mays' Rookie of the Meet award is the first of its kind in Bulldog men's history.