Joe Hayburn Breaks Three Pool Records as Loyola Swimming and Diving Sweeps Lafayette
By Brian Hradsky
October 23, 2026
The Loyola University Maryland men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams delivered an impressive performance Saturday, October 17, sweeping Lafayette College in a Patriot League dual meet at Weinstein Natatorium in Easton, Pennsylvania. The Greyhounds won the men’s competition 219-81 and the women’s meet 199.5-100.5, capturing 24 of the 32 events contested. Senior Joe Hayburn highlighted the afternoon by establishing three pool records, including victories in both backstroke events and a record-setting performance in the 100-yard freestyle to open the 400-yard freestyle relay. Loyola’s depth proved overwhelming as the women’s team won 15 of 16 events and the men added nine victories.
Hayburn Delivers Record-Breaking Performance
Hayburn continued his outstanding collegiate career by producing three pool records during one of the most impressive individual performances of the meet. The Bowie, Maryland, native won the men’s 100-yard backstroke in 47.30 seconds, establishing a Weinstein Natatorium record and finishing four seconds ahead of his nearest competitor. He followed with another record in the 200-yard backstroke, touching the wall in 1:45.63 and winning by more than nine seconds. Both performances demonstrated his dominance in the backstroke events.
Hayburn added his third pool record while leading off Loyola’s winning 400-yard freestyle relay. He completed his opening 100-yard leg in 44.95 seconds, recording the fastest 100-yard freestyle time in the facility’s history. Colin Davis, Gavin Abelende and Brennan Coyle completed the relay in 3:03.13, giving Loyola another event victory. Hayburn’s performance was particularly impressive because he contributed in different strokes and distances throughout the meet.
The senior also helped Loyola win the 200-yard medley relay alongside Coyle, Liam Schindler and Derek Feldman. The quartet finished in 1:30.56, giving the Greyhounds an early advantage and establishing momentum for the remainder of the men’s competition. Hayburn completed the opening 50-yard backstroke leg in 21.93 seconds. His contributions to two relay victories and two individual wins made him one of the most important performers in Loyola’s dominant afternoon.
Hayburn Earns Seventh Patriot League Weekly Honor
Hayburn’s performance received additional recognition Tuesday, October 20, when the Patriot League named him its Men’s Swimmer of the Week. The award was the seventh of his collegiate career, reinforcing his standing among the conference’s accomplished swimmers. His three pool records and four event victories distinguished him from other competitors during the league’s opening weeks. The recognition also highlighted Loyola’s strong performance against a conference opponent.
The former St. Mary’s High School standout has developed into one of Loyola’s leading swimmers through consistent performances in individual and relay competition. His success in the backstroke events provides the Greyhounds with an important advantage, while his ability to contribute in freestyle relays adds versatility. Saturday’s records demonstrated his ability to perform at a high level in multiple events during the same meet. Loyola will look for continued production from Hayburn as the season progresses.
Loyola Women Dominate With 15 Event Victories
The women’s team delivered an equally impressive performance, winning 15 of the 16 events contested. Loyola opened with a sweep of the top three positions in the 200-yard medley relay, immediately establishing control. Maeve Brandenburg, Bryce Gold, Christine Datovech and Haley Robinson won the event in 1:44.45. The Greyhounds’ second and third relay teams followed, demonstrating the program’s depth.
The opening relay provided momentum that continued throughout the afternoon. Loyola repeatedly placed multiple swimmers near the front of individual races and limited Lafayette’s opportunities to score victories. The Greyhounds combined strong sprint performances with success in distance events, butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and diving. Their balanced production resulted in a commanding 99-point victory.
The women’s performance was particularly encouraging because several different athletes contributed multiple victories. Gold, Robinson and Riley Fried each won two individual events, while other swimmers added important results. Loyola’s ability to distribute scoring across numerous events made it difficult for Lafayette to reduce the deficit. The meet demonstrated the strength of the Greyhounds’ overall roster.
Gold, Robinson and Fried Lead Women’s Individual Events
Gold produced an impressive performance by winning the 100-yard breaststroke in 1:05.58 and the 200-yard backstroke in 2:07.42. Her victories demonstrated her versatility across different strokes and distances. Gold also contributed to Loyola’s winning 200-yard medley relay, providing another important result. Her production helped the Greyhounds establish control during the opening portion of the competition.
Robinson dominated the women’s sprint freestyle events, winning the 50-yard freestyle in 23.65 seconds and the 100-yard freestyle in 52.19. Her speed provided Loyola with valuable points in two important events. Robinson also contributed to the winning 200-yard medley relay, demonstrating her ability to perform in both individual and team competition. Her sprint production was among the strongest performances of the afternoon.
Fried added victories in the 200-yard butterfly and 200-yard individual medley. She completed the butterfly in 2:06.38 before winning the individual medley in 2:09.95. Her success across multiple strokes highlighted the depth of Loyola’s lineup. The Greyhounds benefited from having several athletes capable of winning events rather than relying on one dominant swimmer.
Greyhounds Sweep Multiple Women’s Events
Loyola’s depth was particularly evident in races where the Greyhounds captured all three podium positions. Kelly Bruen won the 100-yard backstroke in 58.50 seconds, followed closely by Brandenburg in 58.59 and Virginia Walsh in 59.06. The three swimmers finished within 0.56 seconds of one another, demonstrating the strength of Loyola’s backstroke group. Their performance prevented Lafayette from earning a top-three finish in the event.
The Greyhounds repeated that success in the 100-yard breaststroke, with Gold taking first ahead of Meghan Donovan and Riley McGerald. Loyola also swept the women’s 50-yard freestyle as Robinson finished first, followed by Donja Tripp and Gianna Davis. Those results provided additional points and demonstrated the team’s ability to compete effectively across different strokes. Lafayette struggled to match Loyola’s depth in several events.
The 100-yard butterfly produced another Loyola sweep, with Brandenburg winning in 57.82 seconds. Datovech finished second in 57.86, only four-hundredths of a second behind her teammate, while Julia Mason placed third in 58.73. The close finish between Brandenburg and Datovech provided one of the meet’s most competitive races. Loyola’s sweep reinforced its dominance in the women’s competition.
Additional Greyhounds Contribute Important Victories
Several other Loyola swimmers contributed individual wins during the afternoon. Cecilia Van Lierop captured the 200-yard freestyle in 1:54.92, while Ellie Davis won the 1,000-yard freestyle in 10:48.96. Donovan added a victory in the 200-yard breaststroke with a time of 2:24.91. Those results helped Loyola maintain control across both sprint and distance events.
The Greyhounds also received an important performance from their women’s diving group. Calista Fasser won the three-meter competition with 266.48 points, followed by Kate Mundorf with 253.05 and Annie Dockx with 240.23. The sweep gave Loyola another top-three finish across the board and demonstrated the program’s strength beyond swimming events. The divers contributed to the overall team victory through consistent execution.
Loyola concluded the women’s competition by winning the 400-yard freestyle relay in 3:33.59. The final relay victory provided a fitting conclusion to an afternoon in which the Greyhounds controlled nearly every event. The team’s 15 victories demonstrated both individual talent and collective depth. Loyola’s performance provided a strong foundation for the remainder of its conference schedule.
Dwyer and Abelende Highlight Men’s Depth
Luke Dwyer joined Hayburn as one of Loyola’s leading individual performers in the men’s competition. Dwyer won the 200-yard butterfly in 1:51.73 and the 200-yard individual medley in 1:55.18. His victories demonstrated his ability to contribute in events requiring both endurance and technical versatility. Dwyer’s production helped the Greyhounds maintain their advantage throughout the meet.
Abelende captured the men’s 100-yard butterfly in 50.51 seconds and added runner-up finishes in the 200-yard butterfly and 100-yard freestyle. His ability to compete effectively across several events provided additional points for Loyola. Abelende also contributed to the winning 400-yard freestyle relay, giving him another important result. His performance highlighted the team’s depth behind its leading record-setting swimmer.
Loyola swept the top three positions in the men’s 100-yard backstroke, with Hayburn finishing first ahead of JD Moyer and Thomas Kalka. The Greyhounds repeated that accomplishment in the 200-yard backstroke as Hayburn won in 1:45.63, followed by Moyer in 1:54.84 and Liam McQuaid in 1:55.76. Loyola also swept the 100-yard butterfly behind Abelende, Schindler and Dwyer. Those performances demonstrated the program’s strength in multiple strokes.
Additional Men’s Victories Strengthen Loyola’s Advantage
McQuaid provided an important distance victory by winning the 1,000-yard freestyle in 9:44.33. His performance demonstrated Loyola’s ability to compete effectively in longer events while its sprinters and backstroke specialists produced strong results. Coyle added a victory in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 57.01. Both swimmers contributed valuable points to the Greyhounds’ commanding team total.
Feldman won the 50-yard freestyle in 21.26 seconds, providing Loyola with another important sprint victory. Davis captured the 100-yard freestyle in 46.90, adding to his contribution in the winning 400-yard freestyle relay. The performances demonstrated that Loyola’s men’s team could generate victories from several different swimmers. Their balanced production helped establish the 138-point margin.
The men’s diving competition also produced a Loyola victory as Sam Hersick won the one-meter event with 283.35 points. Thomas McCarthy finished second with 277.35, giving the Greyhounds the top two positions. The result added another strong performance outside the swimming events and contributed to the overall team victory. Loyola’s divers helped complete a successful afternoon for the program.
Lafayette Produces Several Notable Performances
Although Loyola controlled much of the meet, Lafayette received several strong individual performances. Trevor Olson won the men’s 200-yard freestyle in 1:38.89, establishing a Weinstein Natatorium pool record. Olson also captured the 500-yard freestyle in 4:39.11, providing two of the Leopards’ strongest results. His performance demonstrated that Lafayette had individual competitors capable of challenging Loyola despite the substantial team-score difference.
Lafayette also received diving victories from Mia Guster and Landon Orth. Guster won the women’s one-meter competition with 255.38 points, while Orth captured the men’s three-meter event with 306.30. Alex Carroll added a victory in the men’s 200-yard breaststroke, finishing in 2:08.28. Francesca DiGiovanni won the women’s 500-yard freestyle in 5:13.03.
The individual victories provided Lafayette with encouraging performances during its season-opening meet. However, the Leopards struggled to match Loyola’s depth across the complete schedule. The Greyhounds repeatedly placed multiple competitors among the leading finishers, allowing them to accumulate substantial team points. Lafayette will look to build on its individual successes as its conference schedule continues.
Loyola Builds Momentum for Patriot League Competition
The dual-meet sweep provided Loyola with an encouraging result against a Patriot League opponent. The Greyhounds demonstrated strength in multiple swimming disciplines while receiving contributions from both experienced athletes and developing competitors. Hayburn’s three pool records highlighted the men’s performance, while the women’s 15 event victories demonstrated exceptional overall depth. The results should provide confidence as Loyola continues its regular-season schedule.
The Greyhounds also entered the season with a strong recent history of conference competition. Loyola’s men’s team finished third at the 2026 Patriot League Championships, while the women’s team placed fifth. Those results established a foundation for continued development against the conference’s strongest programs. Saturday’s performance demonstrated that Loyola has several athletes capable of producing competitive times and important team points.
The challenge moving forward will be maintaining consistency against stronger conference opponents. Navy and Army have historically established high standards within Patriot League swimming and diving, making continued improvement essential for Loyola. The Greyhounds will need strong performances from their leading swimmers while developing depth across additional events. Their convincing victories against Lafayette provide an encouraging early-season benchmark.
MSB Take
Loyola’s sweep of Lafayette was an outstanding team performance, particularly because the Greyhounds won 24 of 32 events and controlled both the men’s and women’s competitions. Hayburn deserves considerable recognition for establishing three pool records, demonstrating his ability to perform at an exceptional level in multiple events. His victories in both backstroke races and record-setting 100-yard freestyle relay leadoff highlighted his versatility and competitive ability. The seventh Patriot League weekly honor of his career further reinforces the significance of his performance.
The women’s team was equally impressive, winning 15 of 16 events and sweeping the top three positions in several races. Gold, Robinson and Fried delivered multiple individual victories, while Brandenburg, Bruen and other contributors demonstrated the program’s depth. Loyola’s diving performances also provided important points, showing that the Greyhounds can compete effectively in both swimming and diving. The balanced production should provide confidence as the season continues.
The biggest challenge will be translating this level of dominance into consistent results against the strongest Patriot League programs. Loyola has demonstrated that it can produce outstanding individual performances and control dual meets when its depth becomes an advantage. Hayburn’s records provide a clear example of the team’s high-end talent, while the women’s sweep demonstrates the importance of developing a complete roster. If the Greyhounds continue improving throughout the season, they have an opportunity to build on their recent conference championship results.
