WASHINGTON, Pa. – The Washington & Jefferson College men's and women's swimming & diving teams look to build on last season and continue their upward trajectory as one of the top teams in the Presidents' Athletic Conference.
 
2025-26 Season in Review: The men's swimming & diving team posted a 4-5 meet record and was 4-2 in PAC meets. The team picked up wins against Bethany, Westminster, Chatham, and Allegheny. The women's swimming & diving teams compiled a 4-6 dual meet record with a 4-3 record in conference, picking up wins against Bethany, Franciscan, Chatham, and Allegheny.
 
In the post season, the men's program secured a third-place finish with a 60-point increase from the year prior. The women's program finished fifth at the postseason event. Junior Zach Lloyd (Dillsburg, Pa./Lloyd Academy (Homeschooled)) took home the 2026 Male Diver of the Year honors and diving coach Josh Vasko won the 2026 Men's Diving Coach of the Year award. This is the first time that a W&J diver was selected for this award since current coach Vasko completed the feat during the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons.
 
Lloyd's top diving performance last season qualified him for the NCAA Division III Diving Regional Championships. Additionally, the teams broke three school records throughout the 2025-26 campaign.
 
Head Coach Matt Rochna on the program momentum and trajectory: "It shows that our program is on a direct upward trajectory and that our training philosophy is delivering results when it matters most. Breaking records and accumulating 19 top three podium finishes speaks to the work ethic and belief our swimmers and divers bring every single day. We are proving that W&J is a place where you can come, develop, and reach championship-level success. It sets a higher benchmark for who we are and gives us momentum as we strive to raise the bar even further this season."
 

2026-27 PAC Men's Swimming and Diving Preseason Coaches' Poll (Predicted order of Championships finish)
School (first-place votes)	Points	2025-26 Championships finish
1. Grove City College (8)	64	1st (of 8) at PAC Championships, 1063 pts.
2. Saint Vincent College (1)	54	2nd (of 8) at PAC Championships, 710 pts.
3. Washington & Jefferson College	49	3rd (of 8) at PAC Championships, 697 pts.
4. Westminster College	45	5th (of 8) at PAC Championships, 235 pts.
5. Hiram College	35	4th (of 8) at PAC Championships, 298 pts.
6. Chatham University	28	5th (of 8) at PAC Championships, 213 pts.
7. Allegheny College	26	7th (of 8) at PAC Championships, 150 pts.
8. Bethany College	15	8th (of 8) at PAC Championships, 0 pts.
Saint Francis University*		First year as varsity program

* - Ineligible for PAC Championship as school reclassifies from Division I


2026-27 PAC Men's Swimmers and Divers to Watch

1=2025-26 1st Team All-PAC / 2=2nd Team All-PAC
Name	Yr.	Events	Hometown/High School
Will Angus (Grafton, W.Va./Grafton) (1)	Sr.	Diving	Grafton, W.Va./Grafton
Kody Griffith (Indiana, Pa./Indiana Area)	Fr.	Distance	Indiana, Pa./Indiana Area
Dan Jeffries (2)	Sr.	Back/Sprint	Irwin, Pa./Hempfield
Zach Lloyd (Dillsburg, Pa./Lloyd Academy (Homeschooled)) (1)	Jr.	Diving	Dillsburg, Pa./Lloyd Academy (Homeschooled)
Aiden Marks (West Mifflin, Pa./West Mifflin) (2)	Sr.	Free	West Mifflin, Pa./West Mifflin

 
Men's Team Captains: Daniel Jeffries (Irwin, Pa./Hempfield Area) and Micah Lohr (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield)
 
Returners: The men's swimming & diving team returns a strong lineup and will be looking to build off last year's results.
 
Freestyle: The Presidents return all four members of their 200-Meter freestyle relay team that broke the school record that has been standing since 2015 with a time of 1:24.64. Jefferies set four personal bests last season. The All-PAC Second Team selection also broke the 100-yard freestyle school record with a time of 46.57. Sophomore Corbin Likar (Amity, Pa./Trinity) returns for his second season with the Presidents. The All-PAC Second Team selection set three personal bests last season in the 50-yard, 100-yard, and 200-yard freestyle. Junior Brian Lowry (Wenonah, N.J./Gloucester County Institute of Technology) had two personal best swims last season en route to an All-PAC Second Team selection. Lowry also picks up important points for the Presidents on the diving board. Additionally, senior Aiden Marks (West Mifflin, Pa./West Mifflin) set two personal best times at the postseason championships. Marks picked up a fourth-place finish at the event and overall was chosen for the All-PAC Second Team. The senior was also a part of the school record setting 200-yard medley relay team.
 
Sophomores Brady Mavretish (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan), Christopher Mitchell (Towson, Md./Loyola Blakefield), and Aiden Filer (McMurray, Pa./Peters Township), along with junior Hector Santaella (Key Biscayne, Fla./Belen Jesuit Prep) will all be looking to pick up additional points for the Presidents this season.
 
Butterfly: Junior Micah Lohr (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield) set five new personal best times during the 2025-26 season. The captain was selected to the All-PAC Second Team and was a part of the 200-yard medley relay team that set a school record last season. Lohr had a third and fourth place finish at the conference championships last year. Additionally, March Yuan (Simi Valley, Calif./Oak Park) had a third-place finish in the 400-yard IM at the PAC post season last year. Yuan had one personal best swim and was selected for the All-PAC First Team last year.
 
Sophomore Mac Kishel (Palmyra, Pa./Palmyra Area) will be looking to build on last year's season and provide additional points for the Red & Black as well.
 
Backstroke: Junior Ethan Glessner (McKeesport, Pa./Elizabeth Forward) was selected to the All-PAC Second Team last season. Glessner set seven personal best times last season, including all three backstroke events. The junior finished third in the 100-yard backstroke at the year-end championships and was a part of the 200-yard medley relay team that set a school record last year.
 
Breaststroke: Senior Perry Barnhart (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan) had two personal best swims last season, including one in the post season. Barnhart will be looking to build off an A-Final appearance last season.
 
Diving: Junior Zach Lloyd (Dillsburg, Pa./Lloyd Academy (Homeschooled)) will be looking to defend his PAC Male Diver of the Year award this season. Lloyd is the school record holder in the 1-meter, scoring 530.78 points. The junior also won the 3-meter last season with 437.52 points, a personal best.
 
Senior Will Angus (Grafton, W.Va./Grafton) was selected to the All-PAC First Team as well last season. Angus set personal bests last year in both the 1-meter and 3-meter competitions. The senior scored 309.39 and 321.78, finishing third in the 1-meter and second in the 3-meter.
 
"Returning proven high-level talent like Zach, Amiyah, and Will gives us a massive advantage, especially when it comes to multi-day championship scoring. Diving is often the deciding factor in team point totals at the PAC Championships, and having a veteran core on both boards gives us guaranteed high-scoring potential. Beyond the points, their consistency and familiarity with the championship routine set the tone for our entire board group. They know how to handle the pressure of finals, which lifts the confidence of the whole team."
 
Newcomers: The men's team welcomes four newcomers as part of the Class of 2030.  

Leo Carder (Washington, Pa./Trinity)		Freestyle/Butterfly
Kody Griffith (Indiana, Pa./Indiana Area)		Distance Freestyle
Luke Jacques (Dania Beach, Fla./Fort Lauderdale)		Distance Freestyle/Breaststroke
Jermaine Worthen (Clinton, Md./Bishop O'Connell)		Freestyle/Breaststroke

2026-27 PAC Women's Swimming and Diving Preseason Coaches' Poll (Predicted order of Championships finish)
School (first-place votes)	Points	2025-26 Championships finish
1. Grove City College (9)	73	1st (of 9) at PAC Championships, 1,153 pts.
2. Saint Vincent College	61	2nd (of 9) at PAC Championships, 606 pts.
3. Westminster College (1)	60	3rd (of 9) at PAC Championships, 457 pts.
4. Washington & Jefferson College	46	5th (of 9), at PAC Championships, 311 pts.
5. Allegheny College	40	4th (of 9) at PAC Championships, 410 pts.
6. Chatham University	33	6th (of 9) at PAC Championships, 291 pts.
7. Franciscan University	23	7th (of 9) at PAC Championships, 199 pts.
8. Hiram College	22	9th (of 9) at PAC Championships, 8 pts.
9. Bethany College	11	8th (of 9) at PAC Championships, 18 pts.
Saint Francis University*		4th (of 7) at NEC Championships, 349 pts.

* - Ineligible for PAC Championship as school reclassifies from Division I
 

PAC Players to Watch
Name	Yr.	Events	Hometown/High School
Mackenzie Caron (Reading, Pa./Governor Mifflin) (2)	So.	Mid-Distance Free	Reading, Pa./Governor Mifflin
Maddie Malone (Charlottesville, Va./Monticello)	Sr.	Breast/IM	Charlottesville, Va./Monticello
Giada Panelli (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan)	Fr.	Fly/Free	Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan
Cameron Street (Washington, Pa./Trinity)	Fr.	Fly/Distance	Washington, Pa./Trinity
Amiyah White (Spring Grove, Pa./Spring Grove Area) (1)	Jr.	Diving	Spring Grove, Pa./Spring Grove Area

 
Women's Team Captains: Sophia Garrett (Cincinnati, Ohio/Saint Ursula Academy) and Maddie Malone (Charlottesville, Va./Monticello)
 
"Daniel, Micah, Maddie, and Sophia embody what it means to be a W&J student-athlete. Their impact goes far beyond their times in the pool; they set the standard in practice habits, accountability, culture, and academic success. For a growing program, having leaders who consistently model grit, support their teammates, and take ownership of our team environment is invaluable. They bridge the gap between our returning roster and our incoming class, ensuring that our team culture stays strong and cohesive year after year."
 
Returners: The women's swim & dive team returns a strong lineup that is looking to continue their upward trajectory over the last two seasons.
 
Freestyle: Senior captain Sophia Garrett (Cincinnati, Ohio/Saint Ursula Academy) returns and brings strong veteran leadership to the team this season. Garrett had one A-final appearance last season. Additionally, sophomore Mackenzie Caron (Reading, Pa./Governor Mifflin) will be looking to build off her five personal best times set during her rookie campaign. Caron finished last season on the All-PAC Second Team and was selected as the PAC Newcomer of the Week five times. Junior Sophie Talamonti (Flushing, Ohio/Union Local) and sophomore Madison Mansell (York Springs, Pa./Northern) both had seven personal best times set last season across multiple disciplines.
 
Sophomores Mela Barnhart (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan) and Andrea DeLong (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan) will be looking to build off their multiple personal best times set during their rookie campaigns.
 
Butterfly: Sophomore Riley Gutierrez (Deer Park, Texas/Deer Park) set two personal bests last season at the year-end championships, including the 200-yard butterfly. Additionally, classmate Elizabeth Hall (Dewitt, Mich./Dewitt) will be looking to build off last year's performances.
 
Backstroke: Sophomore Abrianna Hosley (Mill Hall, Pa./Agora Cyber) returns to the lineup after a shortened freshman campaign. Hosley will be looking to have an increased workload after only competing in one event last year for the Presidents.
 
Breaststroke: Senior captain Maddie Malone (Charlottesville, Va./Monticello) returns to the lineup after setting three personal best times last year at the conference championships. The senior set fastest times in the 200-yard breaststroke, 200-yard IM, and the 400-yard IM. Malone also had two A-final appearances last year in these events. Additionally, sophomore Gabriella Hnaras (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan) set four best times last year, including the 100-yard and 200-yard breaststroke.
 
Diving: Junior Amiyah White (Spring Grove, Pa./Spring Grove Area) set personal bests in both the 1-meter and 3-meter competitions last season. White finished 2^nd in the 1-meter event at the PAC Championships with a score of 311.64, picking up crucial points for the Presidents. White improved her score from the prelims by 17 points.
 
Newcomers: The women's team welcomes to the roster one transfer and seven freshmen as part of the Class of 2030.
 

Sophia Carter (Locust Grove, Ga./Strong Rock Christian School)                                                                  Butterfly Teagan Ford (Collegeville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley)                                                                    Mid-Distance Freestyle Sarah Jakub (West Mifflin, Pa./West Mifflin)                                                                      IM Karen Nishigami (Nishinomiya, Japan)                                                                          Giada Panelli (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan)                                                                   Butterfly/Freestyle Carly Stewart (Eighty Four, Pa./Canon-McMillan)                                                                  Freestyle Cameron Street (Washington, Pa./Trinity)                                                               Butterfly/Distance Freestyle Grace Wilson (Waterford, Pa./Fort LeBouef)                                                                   Mid-Distance Freestyle

 
"We're thrilled to welcome these nine student-athletes into the program. First and foremost, our expectation for them is to embrace the process—adapt to college-level training, bring energy every day, and be great teammates. They bring a lot of versatile talent across multiple event discipline groups, and we expect many of them to step up and make an immediate scoring impact in dual meets and at the conference championship. If they focus on daily improvement and support one another, the results and personal bests will follow naturally."
 
Looking Ahead to the 2026-2027 Schedule: The Presidents open the 2026-27 campaign at the Henry Memorial Natatorium when they host Bethany in a PAC dual.
 
W&J will then have three meets on the road as the team travels to Westminster (Oct. 31), Oberlin (Nov. 7) and the Mid-Season Championships hosted by Oberlin (Nov. 20 – Nov. 22).
 
The Presidents will quickly return home for the W&J Diving Invitational (Dec. 4) before hitting the road again a day later for a PAC dual meet at Saint Vincent (Dec. 5).
 
The first of two W&J Tri-Meets are schedule for January 9^th when they host Franciscan and Saint Francis. One final road trip for the Redd & Black features trips to Westminster for the Rich Sentner Diving Invitational (Jan. 15) and to Allegheny (Jan. 16).
 
W&J winds down the regular season with the second W&J Tri (Jan. 23), this time against Hiram and Division II Walsh. The final home meet, the team's Senior Recognition Meet, is scheduled for January 30^th against Grove City.
 
The Presidents' Athletic Conference Championship Meet is scheduled for February 17^th thru February 20^th at Grove City.
 
"Our schedule is deliberately designed to build us toward peak performance in February. Dual meets allow us to test lineup versatility, fine-tune race details, and build competitive sharpness in head-to-head racing. Meanwhile, multi-day invitational events prepare our student-athletes physically and mentally for the championship format—managing morning prelims, evening finals, recovery, and team energy over multiple consecutive days. By the time we arrive at the PAC Championships, nothing about the meet format or intensity will be a surprise."
 
Coaching Staff: Head Coach Matt Rochna returns for his ninth season at the helm of the Red & Black. Rochna coached his team to four record-breaking performances during the 2025-26 season. With Rochna at the helm, the Presidents earned 13 All-PAC selections in 2025-26.
 
Josh Vasko '17 returns for his sixth season as the Head Diving Coach. Vasko claimed his third PAC Diving Coach of the Year honor and second on the men's side in 2025-26.
 
Robert Harrington returns for his second season as Assistant Coach
 
Haley Ashner '17 as returns for her third season as the Volunteer Assistant Diving Coach.
 
"Having staff continuity with Josh, Robert, and Haley is a tremendous asset for our program. Trust is everything in coaching, and knowing I have a passionate, dedicated staff that shares the same vision makes every aspect of running this program seamless. For our student-athletes, that consistency is huge—they receive steady, high-level feedback across stroke mechanics, diving technique, and strength training. We operate as a unified unit, which allows us to maximize individual attention for every athlete on the roster."

Final Thoughts from Coach Rochna: "We have an incredible mix of proven veteran leadership and dynamic new energy with our incoming class. The standard has been set higher, our culture is locked in, and our student-athletes are hungry to make their mark. I'm excited to watch this group race, support one another, and build on the momentum we've established. It's going to be a fun, rewarding season for W&J Swimming & Diving!"