By Jim Fenton
WELLESLEY, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University men's swimming & diving team has won the Little East Conference championship for the fourth time in five years.
The Bears finished in first place in the four-day event, wrapping up the title Sunday night at the Boston Sports Institute.
BSU compiled points 870 points with Maine Maritime Academy second (786.5) and defending champion Eastern Connecticut State (756.5) third followed by Husson (672), Keene State (457) and Plymouth State (163).
Since joining the Little East in 2022, the Bears have won every conference championship except 2025 when they finished third to Eastern Connecticut State.
BSU senior Desmond Ng (Petaling Jaya, Malaysia) was chosen the Little East Swimmer of the Year after winning a pair of races.
On Sunday, the Bears had two individual winners who set Little East Championship records and a pair of second-place finishers.
Ng won the 200-yard breaststroke in 2:04.76 to set a Little East meet record.
Junior Aaron Fowler (Brookline, Mass.) won the 200 butterfly in 1:55.55 to set the Little East mark.
Finishing second was freshman Wilco Zbitnoff (Haverhill, Mass.) in the 50 backstroke in 25.41 and junior Jirat Saengthong (Watertown, Mass.) in the 100 individual medley in 54.71.
Saengthong also placed third in the 100 freestyle in 47.55 while freshman James Hein (Holliston, Mass.) was third in the 200 breaststroke in 2:13.95.
In the 100 individual medley, senior Ryan McKenzie (Charlton, Mass.) was third in 54.91 with junior Drew Lawrence (Winchendon, Mass.) fifth in 56.56.
The 400 freestyle relay team of Zbitnoff, senior Richard Palanza (Mansfield, Mass.), Fowler and Saengthong was second in 3:12.16.
The top three finishers in each event earn All-Little East honors.
For BSU, all-conference swimmers include Fowler (first in the 50, 100 and 200 butterfly), Ng (first in the 50, 100 and 200 breaststroke), Hein (200 IM and 200 breaststroke), Saengthong (200 and 100 freestyle and 200 IM), Zbitnoff (50, 100 and 200 backstroke), Lawrence (400 IM), McKenzie (100 breaststroke) plus diver Robbie Soucy (3-meter).
