Schulte wins third gold, earns Outstanding Swimmer of the Meet honors on final day of MAAC Championships

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Freshman Ben Schulte (Mermaid Beach, Australia) capped the greatest championship performance in Bryant University men's swimming and diving history as he claimed his third gold medal and third school record to earn MAAC Outstanding Swimmer of the Meet on the final on Saturday at the MAAC Championships.

The Bulldogs finished the four-day event in sixth place with 339.5 points. Rider captured the men's team title with 689.5 points.

After capturing gold medals and NCAA "B" cut times in the 200 IM and 100 breast, Schulte capped his rookie meet by outdueling teammate Graham Beck (Danvers, Mass.) in the 200 breast on Saturday. Schulte won the event with a time 2:01.03 and Beck was right behind him with a time of 2:01.90, finishing second and earning a silver medal. Schulte becomes the second swimmer in Bryant history to earn outstanding swimmer of the meet honors, joining four-timer Casey Ostrander.

Other finalists on Saturday included Robert Beauchemin (Holliston, Mass.) and Benon Boyadjian (Middlebury, Conn.) in the 200 back, Pierre Le Guyader (East Islip, N.Y.) in the 100 free and Andrew Neggia (Ramsey, N.J.) in the 200 fly. Brendan Miller-Radest (Chatham, N.J.) finished 15th in the 1650 free with a time of 16:39.83.

Beauchemin finished 11th in the 200 back (1:55.87), while Boyadjian finished 15th (1:58.81). Le Guyader finished fifth in the 100 free (46.25) and Neggia finished 15th in the 200 fly (1:59.79).

In the 1 meter dive, Ian Miller (Meriden, Conn.) set the school record with 231.95 points, finishing 11th. Adam Gauthier (Middletown, Conn.) finished 13th with 201.90 points.

The Black and Gold capped the meet with a school-record performance in the 400 free relay to earn a bronze medal. Schulte swam the lead leg and was followed by Beck, Boyadjian and Le Guyader. The quartet set the program mark with a time of 3:04.21.