Navy Swimming and Diving Sweeps Army in Star Meet as Midshipmen Win 22 Events at West Point
By Brian Hradsky
October 27, 2026
The United States Naval Academy men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams delivered a commanding sweep of Army on Friday, October 23, at Crandall Pool in West Point, New York. Navy’s women’s team defeated the Black Knights 204-96, while the men’s squad secured a 188-112 victory in the annual Star Meet, part of the Army-Navy Star Series presented by USAA. The Midshipmen combined for 22 event victories and demonstrated exceptional depth, with both teams placing first and second in seven individual events. The results improved Navy’s women to 4-1 and its undefeated men to 5-0, providing another memorable chapter in the service academy rivalry.
Navy Sweeps Both Stars in Dominant Fashion
The Army-Navy swimming and diving rivalry carries considerable importance for both academies because each meeting represents an opportunity to earn a Star. Friday’s competition featured an unusual early-season meeting between the programs, requiring both coaching staffs to prepare their athletes for a major rivalry event in October. Navy responded with strong performances across nearly every stroke and distance. The Midshipmen controlled the team standings through a combination of individual victories and valuable second- and third-place finishes.
The women’s team captured 12 event victories and repeatedly produced multiple top finishers in the same race. Navy’s men followed a similar approach, winning 10 events while sweeping the top three positions in several competitions. The results reflected more than the performances of a handful of standout swimmers. Both squads demonstrated the roster depth necessary to dominate the team scoring.
Women’s head coach John Morrison improved his career record at Navy to 22-1 in Star Meets against Army. Men’s head coach Bill Roberts moved to 22-2 against the Black Knights, continuing an outstanding record in the rivalry. Both coaches credited their athletes’ preparation, leadership and commitment throughout the preseason. Their teams rewarded that preparation with convincing victories on Army’s home pool deck.
James Boardman Leads Men’s Diving Sweep
Navy’s men’s diving team established an early advantage before the swimming portion of the meet began. The Midshipmen outscored Army 31-7 during the diving events, creating a significant cushion in the overall team standings. Freshman James Boardman delivered an exceptional performance in his first Army-Navy competition, winning both the one-meter and three-meter events. His victories provided Navy with an important early boost.
Boardman won the one-meter competition with 344.05 points, leading a Navy sweep of the top three positions. Finn Gelbach finished second with 336.20 points, while Andrew Garrison placed third with 286.85. The Midshipmen continued their strong performance on the three-meter board, where Boardman scored 368.50 points to secure another victory. Gelbach finished second with 346.35 points, giving Navy another valuable one-two finish.
The diving results demonstrated the importance of having multiple athletes capable of scoring against a conference rival. Boardman’s two victories were particularly impressive because they came during his first appearance in the Army-Navy rivalry. His performance helped the Midshipmen establish momentum before the swimmers entered the pool. Navy carried that advantage into the remainder of the evening.
Navy Women Overcome Early Diving Deficit
The women’s competition began differently, with Army establishing a 25-13 advantage during the diving events. Navy needed an immediate response once swimming began to prevent the Black Knights from building a larger lead. The Midshipmen delivered by winning the first three swimming events and moving ahead 56-37. The turnaround established the tone for the remainder of the women’s meet.
Navy opened the swimming portion with a victory in the 200-yard medley relay, recording a time of 1:39.35. The performance established a Crandall Pool record and provided the Midshipmen with an immediate momentum boost. Navy also placed third in the event with a time of 1:41.22, adding valuable team points. The strong relay performance helped erase much of Army’s early advantage.
Brynn Stoneburg followed by winning the 1,000-yard freestyle in 10:02.05, with teammate Marin Rose finishing second in 10:09.62. The Midshipmen then swept the top three positions in the 200 freestyle, with Kaitlyn Landers winning in 1:47.43. Erin Miller placed second in 1:48.04, while Elizabeth Bryan finished third in 1:49.31. Those performances completed a decisive opening stretch that shifted control of the meet to Navy.
Chase Maier Dominates Men’s Distance Freestyle
Chase Maier delivered one of the most impressive individual performances of the men’s competition, winning both the 1,000-yard and 500-yard freestyle events. He opened his evening by capturing the 1,000 freestyle in 8:57.45, finishing more than 15 seconds ahead of teammate Luca Oliva. Oliva placed second in 9:13.20, while Paul Mullen completed a Navy sweep with a third-place time of 9:22.75. The results demonstrated the Midshipmen’s exceptional distance-swimming depth.
Maier continued his success later in the meet by winning the 500 freestyle in 4:20.72. Dean Jones finished second in 4:23.99, while Ben Mauldin placed third in 4:24.10. Navy again occupied all three podium positions, preventing Army from earning the valuable points associated with a top-three finish. The combination of Maier’s victories and his teammates’ performances strengthened Navy’s overall advantage.
Maier’s performance earned additional recognition Monday when the Naval Academy Athletic Association named him one of its Athletes of the Week. The honor reflected his ability to deliver two decisive individual victories against Navy’s biggest rival. His performances also demonstrated the importance of the Midshipmen’s distance freestyle program. Navy will look for continued production from Maier as the season progresses.
Clarice Spencer Leads Navy Women’s Butterfly Events
Women’s team captain Clarice Spencer delivered a memorable performance by winning both butterfly events. She captured the 200 butterfly in 2:01.38, finishing more than two seconds ahead of her nearest competitor. Spencer later returned to win the 100 butterfly in 55.35 seconds, completing an impressive individual sweep. The victories were the first of her career in an Army-Navy Star Meet.
Spencer’s success carried additional significance because of her leadership role within the program. As team captain, she has helped establish expectations for preparation and competitive effort throughout the roster. Her ability to deliver two victories against Army provided an example for Navy’s younger swimmers. The performances contributed directly to the Midshipmen’s commanding team victory.
The Naval Academy Athletic Association recognized Spencer as one of its Athletes of the Week following the meet. The award highlighted her two victories and the importance of her contributions to Navy’s success. Spencer joined Maier in receiving recognition after the sweep at West Point. Their performances provided two of the strongest individual storylines from the rivalry competition.
Kaitlyn Landers Wins Twice for Navy Women
Landers contributed another outstanding performance, winning both the 200 freestyle and 100 freestyle. Her victory in the 200 freestyle came during Navy’s decisive opening stretch after the women’s team had fallen behind during diving. She completed the event in 1:47.43, leading a sweep of the top three positions. The result helped the Midshipmen establish control of the team standings.
Landers returned later in the meet to win the 100 freestyle in 50.19 seconds. The victory provided another important contribution as Navy continued extending its advantage. Her ability to succeed in both sprint and middle-distance freestyle events demonstrated versatility. The Midshipmen benefited from having several swimmers capable of winning multiple races.
The two victories also demonstrated Navy’s strength across the freestyle events. Stoneburg and Maier contributed important distance victories, while Landers provided production in shorter races. Navy’s ability to score throughout the freestyle lineup created significant problems for Army. Those performances helped explain the substantial final margins.
Corinne Warriner Sweeps Breaststroke Events
Corinne Warriner played another important role in Navy’s women’s victory by winning both breaststroke events. She captured the 100 breaststroke in 1:00.09, leading another sweep of the top three positions. Marley Barnard finished second in 1:01.25, while Danica Aten placed third in 1:02.05. The Midshipmen collected maximum available scoring opportunities from their leading swimmers.
Warriner returned to win the 200 breaststroke in 2:12.58, completing another successful event sweep. Barnard finished just behind her in 2:12.85, while Bryan placed third in 2:16.84. The close finish between Warriner and Barnard demonstrated the strength of Navy’s breaststroke lineup. Their performances prevented Army from gaining ground during the second half of the meet.
Warriner’s victories contributed to one of the most impressive aspects of Navy’s overall performance. The Midshipmen did not rely exclusively on individual winners because their second- and third-place finishers consistently added points. Navy’s ability to occupy multiple leading positions in the same event created a substantial scoring advantage. The breaststroke races provided clear examples of that depth.
Juan Mora Delivers Two Men’s Breaststroke Victories
Juan Mora matched Warriner’s success by sweeping the men’s breaststroke events. He opened with a victory in the 100 breaststroke, finishing in 52.77 seconds. The result provided Navy with another individual win as the men’s team continued building its advantage. Mora’s performance demonstrated the Midshipmen’s strength in another major stroke discipline.
Mora later won the 200 breaststroke in 1:54.37, completing his second individual victory of the evening. The performance came after Army had won the men’s 100 freestyle and 200 backstroke events. Mora’s victory prevented the Black Knights from building sustained momentum during that portion of the competition. Navy continued controlling the overall team standings.
The two victories were particularly valuable because Army had demonstrated competitive strength in several men’s swimming events. Mora’s consistency gave Navy another dependable scoring option during important races. His performance complemented the victories from Maier, Boardman and other Midshipmen. The combination helped Navy secure a convincing 76-point victory.
Navy Controls Freestyle and Individual Medley Events
The Midshipmen produced another decisive stretch during the 500 freestyle races, outscoring Army 32-6 across the women’s and men’s competitions. Aten led a Navy sweep of the women’s top three positions with a winning time of 4:50.40. Stoneburg finished second in 4:52.69, while Rose placed third in 4:59.49. The performance demonstrated the women’s team’s depth in distance freestyle events.
Maier led the men’s sweep of the same event, with Jones and Mauldin finishing second and third. The combined results gave Navy another substantial scoring advantage during the latter stages of the meet. Army struggled to overcome the Midshipmen’s ability to consistently place multiple swimmers near the front. Navy’s depth remained a defining characteristic throughout the evening.
Bryan added another women’s victory in the 200 individual medley, finishing in 2:00.78. Elsie De La Cruz placed second in 2:02.46, while Warriner finished third in 2:05.13. On the men’s side, Noah Robinson won the 200 individual medley in 1:47.41, with Coleman Yates finishing second in 1:48.98. Those results provided additional points as Navy moved closer to securing both victories.
Additional Navy Swimmers Deliver Important Results
Navy received several other standout performances throughout the competition. Martin Perecinsky won the men’s 200 freestyle in 1:33.55, providing another important victory after Maier’s success in the 1,000 freestyle. Dean Jones captured the men’s 200 butterfly in 1:43.86, while Andre Brooks finished second in 1:46.34. The performances helped Navy maintain its advantage through the early swimming events.
Lachlan Andrew delivered another impressive result in the men’s 50 freestyle, winning in 19.75 seconds. Preston Kessler finished second in 19.83, while Henry Cain placed third in 20.01. The sweep demonstrated Navy’s sprinting strength and prevented Army from collecting valuable points in one of the shortest races. The Midshipmen continued building their lead through balanced contributions.
On the women’s side, Ela Habjan won the 200 backstroke in 2:00.92, while Hannah Bateman placed second in 2:01.24. Navy also finished first and second in the women’s 400 freestyle relay to conclude the meet. Army won the men’s 400 freestyle relay, but the result could not affect the overall outcome. The Midshipmen had already established decisive advantages in both competitions.
Senior Leadership Helps Navy Dominate Rivalry
Both coaching staffs emphasized the importance of senior leadership following the victories. Morrison credited the women’s senior class for establishing expectations from the opening day of preseason practice. The group helped prepare the team for an earlier-than-usual meeting against Army. Their leadership contributed to the energy and consistency demonstrated throughout the meet.
Roberts also praised his senior class, particularly team captain Ben Irwin, for helping establish the team’s competitive standards. The men’s program entered the meet undefeated and maintained that record through a complete team performance. Roberts credited the athletes for responding effectively to changes in the meet’s schedule and preparation. The victory reinforced the program’s strong culture and competitive expectations.
The results also continued an impressive history for both Navy coaching staffs in the rivalry. Morrison’s 22-1 Star Meet record and Roberts’ 22-2 mark demonstrate sustained success against Army. Friday’s sweep provided another important achievement for both programs. The Midshipmen will look to maintain that standard throughout the remainder of the season.
Navy Prepares to Host George Washington
Both Navy teams will return to competition Wednesday, October 28, when they host George Washington at Lejeune Hall in Annapolis. The meet is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. Eastern and will be streamed through the Navy Athletics YouTube channel. The matchup provides another opportunity for the Midshipmen to build on their success against Army. Navy’s men will attempt to extend their undefeated start, while the women will look to improve to 5-1.
The upcoming meet will also allow Navy to continue developing its depth across different swimming and diving events. The Midshipmen demonstrated against Army that they have multiple athletes capable of contributing valuable team points. Maintaining that consistency will be important as the season progresses toward conference championship competition. Both coaching staffs will continue evaluating performances and identifying opportunities for improvement.
The sweep at West Point provides momentum heading into another home competition. Navy’s athletes delivered strong performances in diving, freestyle, butterfly, breaststroke and individual medley events. Their ability to contribute across multiple disciplines demonstrated the balance within both programs. The Midshipmen will look to carry that momentum into Wednesday’s meet.
MSB Take
Navy’s sweep of Army was one of the most impressive performances of the early swimming and diving season because both Midshipmen teams controlled the competition through depth rather than relying exclusively on individual stars. The women’s 204-96 victory was particularly dominant, especially considering Navy trailed 25-13 after diving. Winning the first three swimming events and quickly moving ahead demonstrated the team’s ability to respond under pressure. The men’s 188-112 victory was equally encouraging, with Boardman’s diving sweep establishing an early advantage that Navy never surrendered.
Maier and Spencer deserve special recognition for their two-victory performances and subsequent Naval Academy Athletic Association weekly honors. Landers, Warriner and Mora also delivered multiple individual victories, while several teammates contributed second- and third-place finishes that strengthened Navy’s scoring advantage. The most impressive statistic was Navy’s combined 22 event victories and the fact that both teams finished first and second in seven individual races. Those numbers demonstrate how difficult the Midshipmen can be to defeat when their entire lineup performs effectively.
The victories also reinforce the remarkable consistency of Navy’s swimming and diving programs under Morrison and Roberts. Their combined success against Army reflects strong recruiting, athlete development
