LEXINGTON, Va. Feb. 19, 2024 — Keydets Swim and Dive lapped the competition during the America East Conference Championship. The championship was hosted at Virginia Military Institute’s Aquatic Center Feb. 14 through Feb. 17. 

Coach Scott Thacker said it was an incredible week hosting, which marks the first conference swim and dive championship event hosted at the Aquatic Center, which opened in early 2023.  

“The Goodall Pool was packed full of spectators and the energy was electric. It was an honor to host the conference meet and I am grateful for the efforts and dedication from our VMI staff to put on a top-notch championship environment,” he said. 

The VMI Swim and Dive athletes broke 26 program — team, rat, and personal — records during the championship, closing out the 2023-24 season. 

“I am beyond impressed and proud of our team for their accomplishments during the meet,” Thacker said. “Our team broke records a total of 26 times during the meet, totaling 21 new team records set during the championship. Having such a strong showing on post, and our 1sts closing out their athletic careers in our home pool makes it all the more special.” 

The breakdown of records

The first day of the conference meet brought several program records. 

Walden Wilder ’27 clocked a 2:02.45 in the 800-freestyle relay, which is a personal best and top 10 time in program history. 

Three-Legged Stool winner Kate Taylor ’24 became the first female in VMI history to swim a sub-24 second 50-freestyle relay split (23.91), as she anchored the 200-medley relay, according VMI Athletics.  

Two men’s relay teams also set records on the first day of the championship.  

Tinn Nguyen ’27, Chase Lane ’24, Tyler Blackwell ’24, and Matthew Picard ’27 broke the VMI record in the 200-medley relay with a time of 1:30.88. 

Picard, Sam Castle ’27, Elijah Fields ’27, and Dalton Cosner ’24 set a new program mark in the 800-freestyle relay, with a time of 6:47.05. 

Picard also set both a rat and team record in the 200-freestyle (1:41.00). 

The trend of slashing records continued into the second day of the meet, according to VMI Athletics.  

Cadets Chino Vera ’24 and Cosner bookended the 200-yard freestyle relay, as Max Brunner ’27 and Castle helped the Keydets post a new record time of 1:23.51. 

Taylor and Jillian Maher ’24 led off their 200-yard freestyle relay, with Walden Wilder and Noelle Tong for a women's program record of 1:38.46. 

Picard set another rat and team record in the 50-yard freestyle at 20.64 seconds. 

By Friday, the team cannonballed through 11 more records, according to VMI Athletics. 

• Ethan Griffith ’25 earned the silver medal in 400 individual medley for a program record time of 3:58.62.
• Blackwell set the VMI team record with a prelims time of 49.82 in the men's 100 butterfly.
• Leading off the 400 medley relay, Castle swam a team and rat record in the 100 backstroke.
• After the prelims, Brunner would set a new rat record in the 100-yard butterfly
• In the 100-yard breaststroke, Anne Bowles ’24 set a new team record with a time of 105.76 in the finals.
• In the prelims of the 400-yard individual medley, Sarah Liebenow ’24 recorded a new women's team record of 4:49.74.
• In the 400-yard medley relay, Noelle Tong ’26, Bowles, Maher and Taylor swam a 4:02.37, setting a new women's record in the process.
• Castle, Lane, Blackwell, and Picard set the new men's record in the 400 medley at 3:20.39. 

VMI Athletics said the last day of the meet resulted in five more records being broken. 

• Picard set a rat and team record of 45.49 seconds in the 100-yard freestyle. 
• Castle set a new team and rat record in the 200 backstroke at 1:50.28. 
• Picard, Castle, Vera, and Castle combined for a new program record in the 400-freestyle relay with a 3:02.17 in that event. 

Laura Peters Shapiro
Communications & Marketing
VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE