VMI Swim and Dive Earns Three NEC Weekly Honors
Originally published on VMIKeydets.com.
Following a strong weekend that saw both the men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams defeat Mount St. Mary’s, the VMI swimming and diving programs earned three Northeast Conference (NEC) weekly awards and nine Prime Performer selections.
The Keydet men cruised to a 218-76 victory over the Mountaineers, while the women secured a 170-125 win. The victories give both programs their best pre-midseason records in over a decade.
Freshman Carter Canastra was named NEC Men’s Diver of the Week, while fellow freshman Elijah Tong earned NEC Men’s Rookie of the Week honors. On the women’s side, junior Isabelle Haer was selected as NEC Women’s Diver of the Week.
Canastra earned his second-consecutive weekly honor after winning the 3-meter diving competition with a score of 263.55 and placing second on the 1-meter board with a score of 245.78.
Tong continued his impressive freshman campaign with victories in the 500 freestyle (4:38.15) and 200 individual medley (1:59.33), along with a runner-up finish in the 200 freestyle (1:44.68). His 500 freestyle time ranks first in the NEC.
Haer swept the women’s diving events, claiming first place on both the 1-meter (224.85) and 3-meter (238.73) boards for her second weekly award of the year.
In addition to the weekly award winners, VMI had several swimmers recognized among the conference’s Prime Performers.
On the men’s side, Sam Calder, Ian Lutz and Jack Mills joined Canastra and Tong on the NEC Prime Performers list.
Calder captured first place in the 100 freestyle (46.21), second in the 50 freestyle (20.86) and third in the 100 backstroke (51.94). Lutz won the 50 freestyle (20.72) and placed second in the 100 freestyle (47.07), while Mills claimed victories in the 100 butterfly (50.09) and 200 butterfly (1:52.90). All three also contributed to VMI’s winning 400 freestyle relay.
For the women, Mackenzie Byrne, Emerson Cosner and Parker Belle Fogle joined Haer as NEC Prime Performers.
Byrne earned three individual victories, taking first in the 50 freestyle (24.15), 100 freestyle (52.73) and 100 butterfly (57.09). Cosner won the 200 butterfly with a conference-leading time of 2:10.00, while Fogle claimed first in the 100 breaststroke (1:08.15) and second in the 200 breaststroke (2:31.43).
The weekly recognition caps off an impressive stretch for the Keydets, who continue to build momentum under first-year head coach Adam Zaczkowski.
VMI NEC Weekly Honors
Men’s Diver of the Week
Carter Canastra – Freshman
Men’s Rookie of the Week
Elijah Tong – Freshman
Women’s Diver of the Week
Isabelle Haer – Junior
NEC Men’s Prime Performers
Sam Calder – Redshirt Junior
Carter Canastra – Freshman
Ian Lutz – Sophomore
Jack Mills – Junior
Elijah Tong – Freshman
NEC Women’s Prime Performers
Mackenzie Byrne – Junior
Emerson Cosner – Junior
Parker Belle Fogle – Junior
Isabelle Haer – Junior
