By Jim Fenton

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- After winning the first three Little East Conference championships, the Bridgewater State University men's swimming & diving team finished third last winter.

The Bears return to the conference meet this week looking to regain the crown with a solid group of veterans leading the way.

The four-day Little East meet begins with the 3-meter diving competition Thursday night at Babson College and continues w"ith morning and evening sessions Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Boston Sports Institute in Wellesley, Mass.

Eastern Connecticut State University ended BSU's three-year reign last February with Maine Maritime Academy finishing second. The Bears won the first three years after moving from the New England Intercollegiate Swimming & Diving Association.

"They're very determined, said BSU coach Michael Caruso about his team's bid to regain the conference title. "It's something they always talk about and are working towards.

"We have to execute. We have a lot of depth in most of the events. We've got a lot of top times in most of the events. We've just got to do what's in front of us."

BSU swimmers own seven of the top times in the conference heading into the championship meet.

Junior Aaron Fowler (Brookline, Mass.) ranks first in the 100-yard butterfly (51.50 seconds), the 200 butterfly (1:54.56) and the 100 individual medley (54.06 seconds).

Fowler, who owns five BSU records, is also third in the 50 backstroke (25.15), fourth in the 100 backstroke (55.37) and sixth in the 100 freestyle (49.06).

After being named the Little East Swimmer and Rookie of the Year for the 2023-24 season, Fowler missed a most of last season, including the conference meet, due to an illness, leaving them without a top point producer.

Senior Desmond Ng (Petaling Jaya, Malaysia) is first in the 50 breaststroke (27.23), the 100 breaststroke (57.80) and the 200 breaststroke (2:09.08).

Ng also ranks second in the 400 individual medley (4:23.33), third in both the 200 freestyle (1:51.23) and the 200 individual medley (2:01.14) and sixth in the 100 backstroke (55.85) and the 100 butterfly (53.28).

Junior Jirat Saengthong (Watertown, Mass.) is first in the 200 freestyle (1:46.62) and also ranks second in the 50 butterfly (23.46) and the 100 butterfly (52.19) plus fourth in the 100
freestyle (48.52) and fifth in the 50 freestyle (22.24).

At the Little East meet a year ago, Ng was first in the 200 backstroke (in a meet-record time of 1:58.01) and second in the 400 individual medley while Saengthong took third in the 50 butterfly a year ago.

"Desmond, Aaron and Jirat really stand out," said Caruso. "They're supreme swimmers who've given a lot to the prograwm, no doubt about it. They're great athletes, good guys and they work hard."

Also returning is senior Robbie Soucy (Frye Island, Maine), the Little East Rookie Diver of the Year in his debut season last winter.

Soucy ranks second this season in 3-meter diving and fifth in 1-meter diving after placing third on the 3-meter board a year ago.

Senior Ryan McKenzie (Charlton, Mass.) earned All-Little East honors last winter by finishing second in the 100 breaststroke.

This season, McKenzie has the fourth-best time in the conference in the 200 breaststroke (2:21.29) and is fifth in the 50 breaststroke (28.81).

Two freshmen have made immediate impacts for the Bears this season.

Freshman James Hein (Holliston, Mass.) ranks second behind Ng in the 100 breaststroke (1:00.94) and third in both the 50 breaststroke (28.17) and the 200 breaststroke (2:16.95). He is also fifth in the 200 individual medley (2:04.82).

Freshman Wilco Zbitnoff (Haverhill, Mass.) has had a stready first collegiate season.

He is second in the Little East in the 200 backstroke with a time of 2:03.72) and is fifth in the 100 backstroke (55.43) and sixth in the 50 backstroke (25.65).

Other ranked Little East swimmers include junior Drew Lawrence (Winchendon, Mass.), who is fourth in the 400 individual medley (4:33.75) and sixth in the 100 IM (56.75), junior Nathan Barnes (Billerica, Mass.), who is fourth in the 200 backstroke (2:05.04) junior Sean Taylor (South Dennis, Mass.) is fifth in the 1,650 (19:39.58), freshman Kaua De Assis (Vineyard Haven, Mass.), who is fifth in the 50 butterfly (24.33) and senior Jacob Jope (East Freetown, Mass.), who is sixth in the 1,000 freestyle (11:34.92).

"We've gotten really stronger this season," said Caruso. "They have bonded together and been consistent."