Mids sweep Patriot League titles
Harm, Habjan lead the way for Midshipmen
There are two words associated with the Navy swimming and diving programs: legacy and expectations.
Both the Navy men’s and women’s teams have built an incredible legacy by dominating Patriot League competition. Sustained success leads to expectations as each year the Midshipmen are favored to continue their remarkable run.
Ela Habjan and Jonah Harm led the way as Navy swimming and diving got it done once again, sweeping the team titles at Patriot League Championships held Wednesday through Saturday inside Lejeune Hall on the academy campus.
Harm captured championships in three individual events and swam a leg of a victorious relay to lead the Navy men, who posted 1,397 points. That was only 50 ½ more than runner-up Army as the archrival continues to close the gap in terms of talent and depth.
Navy men’s swimming and diving remained perfect in Patriot League competition, now capturing 20 championships in 20 seasons as a member. That extends the conference record for most consecutive championships in any sport.
Habjan claimed the championship in the 100-meter backstroke and also swam the leadoff legs on two winning relay teams to pace the Navy women, who amassed 1,397 points — 198 better than second place Army. Navy women’s swimming and diving secured its 12th straight title and 22nd overall.
“The legacy of Navy women’s swimming and diving leads to certain expectations. I think I feel the pressure a little more than the athletes,” Navy women’s coach John Morrison said. “They know if they put in the work on a day-to-day basis they will get the job done. I trust that they will.”
This season’s sweep was not
easy as a norovirus swept the Naval Academy campus and led to numerous members of the swimming and diving team taking ill. Harm was among those affected and did not participate in warmups in order to conserve energy for his races.
“To get to this point, with the result we had, it was more than a minor miracle,” Navy men’s coach Bill Roberts said. “With all this team went through earlier this week and the setbacks we had, I am just speechless with how the men and women from Navy swimming and diving found ways to summon the strength and courage to compete.”
Navy’s men also had to overcome the controversial disqualification of
Jake Douberly, who had placed eighth in the 200 backstroke. Douberly, who was also battling severe illness, cramped up during the final and finished 10 seconds behind the seventh place swimmer.
Douberly was disqualified due to improper conduct as meet officials determined he did not put forth an “honest effort.” Roberts protested the ruling, but after much discussion among the meet referee, meet manager and multiple representatives of the Patriot League office, it was upheld.
Douberly’s disqualification cost Navy 22 points and made the meet much closer. Roberts noted the “honest effort” is subjective and presented the mitigating factor of Douberly cramping as a result of being compromised by the virus.
Roberts also protested the fact Army’s Brandt Nigro, as chair of the coaches committee, voted for the disqualification instead of recusing himself as Patriot League rules require.
Harm broke the pool record on the way to winning the 100 butterfly with a time of 45.78 seconds. It marked the third straight season he has captured the championship in the event.
Harm then closed the meet by swimming the leadoff leg of the 400 freestyle relay as Navy set a Patriot League record clocking 2:52.5. Ben Denman-Grimm, Ben Stankovich and Everet Andrew teamed with Harm.
Harm, who was also the individual champ in both the 50- and 100-meter freestyle, was named Swimmer of the Meet. Ben Irwin, who claimed three individual titles, was named
Rookie of the Meet.
Irwin won the 200 backstroke with a Patriot League record time of 1:41.06. He also took first in the 100 backstroke and 200 butterfly and swam the opening leg of Navy’s winning 400 medley relay.
Finn Gelbach was selected as Diver of the Meet after capturing championships in both the 1- and 3-meter disciplines. Navy’s Tim Fisher was the Men’s Diving Coach of the Year.
Habjan swam the leadoff leg of Navy’s 200-meter medley relay, which won with a meet record time of 1:39.15. She also swam the leadoff leg for the victorious 400 medley relay, which broke the pool record with a clocking of 3:37.25.
“Ela had an unbelievable meet and was just a real stalwart throughout,” Morrison said.
Riley Gavigan, Caroline
Irwin and Maya Novack were the other members of the 200 and 400 medley relay teams. Irwin also won the 100 butterfly, overtaking top seed Mimi Watts of American in the final 25 meters to pull an upset.
“Caroline put together an incredible race to come away with that victory,” Morrison said of Irwin, who placed second in the 200 fly.
Gabi Baldwin dethroned the deafening champion in the 200 individual medley by winning with a time of 1:59.18.
T h a t w a s j u s t 17-hundredths of a second faster than Loyola’s top seeded Lily Mead. Baldwin was also runner-up in the 200 freestyle.
“We are very fortunate to have a lot of depth, which gives us the ability to cover all the events,” said Morrison, who was named women’s Coach of the Year.