KEY LARGO, Fla. – The George Mason men's and women's swimming and diving teams concluded their training trip by competing in the Orange Bowl Swim Classic, held Tuesday, Jan. 3 at the Jacobs Aquatic Center in Key Largo, Fla.

The Mason men's team finished third with 48 points.  Michigan, ranked No. 13 in the nation won the meet, followed by Texas A&M.  The Patriot's women's team finished tied for third with Duquesne with 37 points.  The No. 6 Wolverines finished first, with No. 44 Florida International placing second on the women's side.

On the men's side, senior Zepher Begnell swam to a fourth place finish in the 50-meter freestyle (23.20), with junior Alec Morin placing 10th in the event (24.04).  Junior Steven Craig recorded a sixth place finish in the 400-meter freestyle (4:09.09), was ninth in the 200-meter IM (2:14.50) and placed 10th in the 100-meter freestyle (56.05).

Freshman Logan Eubanks placed sixth in the 50-meter backstroke (27.61) and was eighth in the 100-meter backstroke (1:00.27).  Junior Matthew Lynch notched an eighth place finish in the 50-meter butterfly (26.18) and was ninth in the 100-meter butterfly (58.15).  Senior Evan Owens was ninth in the 100-meter freestyle (54.69).

In the 50-meter breaststroke, freshman Christopher Stankiewicz touched the wall in sixth place (29.58), while junior Deion Dean finished ninth in the event (30.95).  Mason claimed three of the top-10 spots in the 100-meter breaststroke, with sophomore Leonis Lau finishing sixth (1:06.52), Dean placing ninth (1:08.72), and freshman Garrett Anderson placing 10th (1:09.16).

The combination of Eubanks, Stankiewicz, Morin and Begnell placed fifth in the 200-meter medley relay (1:45.18).  Mason also finished fifth in the 200-meter freestyle relay, with Morin, Stankiewicz, Owens and Begnell posting a time of 1:34.83.

On the women's side, junior Dorothy Reilly finished fifth in the 100-meter butterfly (1:04.31), with sophomore Christina McLemore placing 11th (1:08.89) and senior Elizabeth Kleveno 13th in the event (1:09.03).  Reilly also earned a 10th place finish in the 100-meter backstroke (1:07.46).

In the 50-meter breaststroke, junior Amy Tansill was fifth (34.22), while senior Sarah Brallier finished 10th in the event (35.24).  Brallier posted a sixth place finish in the 100-meter breaststroke (1:14.47), with Tansill finishing seventh (1:14.72).

Senior Steff Maurer recorded a ninth place finish in the 100-meter freestyle (1:01.02), while classmate Erin Schulte was ninth in the 400-meter freestyle (4:34.49).  Senior Sydney Fisher finished in sixth place in the 50-meter backstroke (30.54).

The combination of junior Rachel Williams, sophomore Marla Albanese, Fisher and Maurer placed fourth in the 200-yard freestyle relay (1:49.00). 

The Patriots return to the pool on Saturday, Jan. 14 at 12 p.m. when they face Atlantic 10 Conference rival George Washington at the Smith Center Pool in Washington, D.C.