WASHINGTON, Pa. -- The Washington & Jefferson College men's swimming and diving team is gearing up for the 2021 season, the third year under head coach Matt Rochna.
 
2019-20 Season Review: The Presidents posted a 3-4 mark in dual meets (1-2) PAC and placed fourth of six teams at the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Championships.
 
The Presidents landed three men's swimmers on the All-PAC Second Team. Then-sophomores Colin Higinbotham, Andrew Ivory and Dean Kralic all made multiple trips to the "A" finals at PACs in their respective individual events.
 
"All of our male returners continued to train hard and make a difference in and out of the pool last season," said Rochna. "They all stepped up and performed at a high level at 2020 PACs. They were also able to mentor our incomers on how to be a successful student-athlete at W&J College."
 
Key Returners: W&J entered the 2019-20 season with no upperclassmen and just four returning swimmers to the pool. In 2021, the Presidents feature five juniors and nine overall returners.
 
"Everyone is back from last season and I expect them to build off of what we accomplished as a team," said Rochna. "I'm looking for our upperclassmen to take their leadership to the next level by continuing to help instill our team's values into our seven freshman males."
 
Junior Colin Higinbotham (Denver, Pa./Cocalico) earned his first career All-PAC Second Team certificate last winter after leading the Presidents with 39 points at PACs. Higinbotham reached the "A" finals and posted personal-best times in the 100 yard butterfly (51.86) and 50 yard freestyle (21.59) to take fourth in both events. Both of his top marks at PACs were within a second of standing program records in the 100 fly and 50 free.
 
"At the end of the day, Colin is a competitor who thrives off high-pressure situations," said Rochna. "He has continued to improve each and every year by doing something different than the previous season. Even in an abnormal season, I predict Colin will continue to swim at a very high level."
 
Junior Andrew Ivory (Gibsonia, Pa./Mars) was the Presidents' second-leading scorer at the PAC Championships with 33 points, and earned his first All-PAC recognition after reaching the "A" finals in both breaststroke events. He took sixth in the 100 yard breaststroke (1:01.38) and eighth in the 200 breast (2:15.08). He was also the top finisher in the 200 yard individual medley "B" finals at 2:04.00.
 
"Andy Ivory is a hard-working student-athlete who we can rely on at every practice and competition to deliver results," said Rochna. "His teammates voted him a captain two years in a row and he has already been one of our program's most vocal leaders; helping our very young team to navigate this challenging season. I look for him to continue to be a leader in and out of the pool this spring."

Junior Nick Belofsky (Aurora, Ohio/Aurora) joins Ivory as a team captain after he set a trio of career-best times in the 50 free (22.80), 100 free (51.11) and 200 free (1:55.55) at the Oberlin Invitational in fall 2019.

"Nick has been someone who has led by example in and out of the pool," said Rochna. "He has continued that this season and he has helped our freshman guys to be at their best while at W&J so far." 
    
Sophomores Andrew Edwards (Columbus, Ohio/St. Charles Prep) and Alex Lee (Los Angeles, Calif./Eagle Rock) swam for the Presidents in addition to playing on W&J men's polo team. Both swimmers set new personal best times in multiple "B" finals showings in 2020.
 
Edwards snagged a 12^th-place finish in the 200 yard freestyle (1:53.05) and was 14^th in the 100 free (52.06) at PACs. Lee was 15^th in the 50 free (24.49) and 16^th in the 200 free (2:02.29).
 
Junior James Gunn (Beaver Falls, Pa./Riverside) set personal bests in the 50 free (25.39), 100 free (56.93) and 200 free (2:11.86) at PACs as well.
 
Newcomers: Coach Rochna and his staff welcome seven freshmen into the W&J swimming and diving mix for 2021. It's W&J's largest freshman group in the last five seasons.
 
"We are very excited to welcome in this group of freshman student-athletes," said Rochna. "This is the biggest male recruiting class we have welcomed to the program in recent years and it's been a pleasure coaching them this past fall. It will be fun to have the chance to finally watch them compete at the college level this spring. They all have unique personalities and perspectives that add value to our team as a whole."
 
Alexander Alderman (Camp Hill, Pa./Cumberland Valley) - freestyle
Matt Allgeier (State College, Pa./State College Area) - breaststroke
Garrett Apuzzo (Cheswick, Pa./Springdale) - IM
Chris Edwards (Bexley, Ohio/St. Charles Prep) - freestyle
Lucas Hakme-Silva (Derry, N.H./Pinkerton Academy) - freestyle
Warren Huang (Chino Hills, Calif./Chino Hills) - butterfly, backstroke
Nathan Smith (Fort Defiance, Va./Fort Defiance)
 
Team Captains: Nick Belofsky, Colin Higinbotham and Andrew Ivory  

Looking at the Schedule: The Presidents will compete in a three-meet, PAC-only regular season schedule before the Presidents' Athletic Conference 2020-21 Swimming & Diving Championships at Grove City on March 2-6.
 
The Presidents men open the regular season against Grove City on Feb. 16 at the Henry Memorial Natatorium. The regular season concludes with W&J traveling to Saint Vincent on Feb. 23.
 
The PAC Championship will feature the men's individual and relay finals on March 3 and March 6. The diving championships will be held on March 4.
 
PACs will be one session per day with no preliminary sessions, only timed finals.
 
"Our men's team is anxious to compete against other teams this spring and we are just excited to have this amazing opportunity," said Rochna. "With only three meets, it will be important for our men to swim their main events so that they are ready to race at a high level in March."
 
Last Word: "This season has not been normal by any stretch of the imagination, but our men's team has taken everything in stride and made the best of the situation," said Rochna. "They've remained positive, motivated, and excited about the possibility for in-person meets this season. Now that the time to compete is here they will be ready for whatever comes their way. The men will compete to the best of their abilities and have fun in the process."