Rowan men’s swimming placed fourth in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Swimming and Diving Championships at the Hampton Aquaplex in Hampton, Virginia. The Profs finished behind first-place The College of New Jersey (TCNJ), runner-up Merchant Marine, and third-place Salisbury.

The meet was highlighted by Rowan’s performance in the 800 freestyle relay. The quartet of Jack Watson, Tobias Cahnbley, Alex Volin, and Braden Sheehan posted a time of 6:33.74 to take home the victory in the event. The performance, at the time, was good enough for the top time in Division III for that particular event this season. The relay team also set a program record, breaking the previous record set in 2023 by the relay team featuring Watson, Cahnbley, and Volin. Most importantly, the team secured their spot in the NCAA Championships.

“That was definitely one of the most fun races I swam in my career,” Watson said. “This season has been a lot of fun, having guys like Toby, Braden, and Alex to train with all year. That was a big factor in what got us that fast and got us to the point where we are.”

“That was the biggest race of my life, and I knew it was coming in,” Sheehan added. “The environment was ridiculous, I’ve never swam a race like that. I think that was one of the reasons we went that fast. It was like the loudest building ever.”

The 800 free wasn’t the only exciting moment of the four-day meet. Watson took home two events, winning the 100 free (44.51) and the 100 back (47.74). Cahnbley broke the school record in the 500 free (4:26.59) and won the 200 free (1:39.18). Volin won the 200 fly (1:47.14) and set a personal record in the 100 fly (48.99). Head coach Brad Bowser was pleased with how the weekend played out.

“I was satisfied with the place, we got the highest percentage of personal bests over anybody in the NJAC at 63%,” Bowser said. “We also had 90-to-95% seasonal bests in our performances, which was highest in the conference. So I think how we swam was the best that we were going to be able to swim.”

Rowan will now turn their attention to the NCAA Championships, taking place from March 19-22 at the Greensboro Aquatic Center in Greensboro, North Carolina. With over a month until the event takes place, the goal now is to keep momentum moving forward. Bowser plans to hold joint practices with TCNJ leading up to the meet in order to keep his swimmers sharp and ready to compete in the biggest event of the year to date.

For the seniors on the roster, the NCAA Championships mark the last time they will be able to compete for their college team. After coming back for his fifth year, Watson knows it’s a moment that will be bittersweet.

“It hasn’t hit me yet, but it definitely will when I get there,” Watson said. “I wasn’t sure if I would be back last year, so that prepared me for this year more than last year. My goal is to just go out there and have fun, swim fast, and enjoy it with the guys that I’m there with.”

On the other hand, Sheehan will be making his first appearance in the NCAA Championships. Sheehan talked about what he is expecting come March and what ways he will get help from his older teammates in preparation for the meet.

“It still doesn’t really feel real to me, this has been a big goal of mine,” Sheehan said. “I’m excited to talk to him [Watson] and figure things out. I know I got guys here that have been there before, so that’ll be really big for me.”

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