WASHINGTON, Pa. – The Washington & Jefferson College Swimming & Diving teams opened up their 2024-25 season Friday evening against Penn State Altoona. The W&J men fought to a 114.5-114.5 tie, while the W&J women dropped their first meet of the season, 123-97.
 
The men logged their first tie since the 2013-14 season, after swimming to a 131-131 tie with York College (Nov. 16).
 
The men were led by Logan Marks (West Mifflin, Pa./West Mifflin) and March Yuan (Simi Valley, Calif./Oak Park), both contributing two first-place finishes. Marks won the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 59.37 and the 200-yard IM with a mark of 2:08.08. Yuan won the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1:49.24 and the 200-yard butterfly with a mark of 54.95. Both swam laps in the teams first-place finish in the 200-yard medley relay win.
 
Ethan Glessner (McKeesport, Pa./Elizabeth Forward) also tacked on a first-place finish in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 58.48.
 
Aiden Filer (McMurray, Pa./Peters Township) tied with a Penn State Altoona swimmer for first place in the 50-yard freestyle with a mark of 23.16.
 
Zach Lloyd (Dillsburg, Pa./Lloyd Academy (Homeschooled)) led the Presidents' swimmers with a total score of 454.10. Lloyd was accompanied by Melvin McRae (Lillington, N.C./Overhills) who logged a second-place finish and total score of 366.75 through 12 dives.
 
The relay team of Daniel Jeffries (Irwin, Pa./Hempfield Area), Marks, Yuan and Filer picked up an early first-place finish in the 200-yard medley relay.
 
For the women, the Presidents were led by Luna Balzano (El Portal, Fla./Broward Virtual School), registering two first-place finishes. Balzano won the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 25.83 and took the 100-yard butterfly crown with a mark of 1:04.78.
 
Sophia Garrett (Cincinnati, Ohio/Saint Ursula Academy) and Morgan Baughman (West Newton, Pa./Mount Pleasant) both logged first and second place marks on the evening. Garrett took first in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 1:05.29 and finished second in the 200-yard IM with a mark of 2:29.81. Baughman finished first in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 58.02 and took second in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 2:16.52.
 
Amiyah White (Spring Grove, Pa./Spring Grove Area) recorded a first-place finish in the 1-meter dive with a total score of 290.10.
 
The Presidents divers manage a quick turnaround heading to Division II Clarion University to face off at the Clarion Fall Dive Invite, Saturday (Oct. 12). Dives are scheduled to commence at 12:00 p.m.
 
Top Finishers in Other Events
Men
500-yard freestyle – Daniel Jeffries (2^nd) – 5:22.45
1000-yard freestyle – Micah Lohr (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield) (2nd) – 11:24.86
 
Women
100-yard breaststroke – Maddie Malone (Charlottesville, Va./Monticello) (2^nd) – 1:16.67
100-yard butterfly – Taylor Newton (Olyphant, Pa./Scranton Prep) (3^rd) – 1:14.40
200-yard IM – Maddie Malone (3^rd) – 2:30.69
1000-yard freestyle – Taylor Newton (2nd) – 12:15.71