WORCESTER, Mass. — The Amherst College men's swimming and diving team unleashed a wave of speed Saturday, delivering a series of electric performances at the non-scoring Menck Sprints Invitational hosted by Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

Designed to spotlight raw sprinting power and relay precision, the two-day meet gave the Mammoths plenty of opportunities to shine, and they took full advantage. Amherst opened Saturday's finals with a statement win in the 200-yard freestyle relay, as the quartet of senior Ethan Van De Water, sophomore Tom Conaty, sophomore Cameron Aryanpour, and first-year Roan Haney surged to the wall first in a blistering 1:24.61.

The Mammoths continued their relay dominance later in the session, capturing first place in the 100-yard medley relay. Amherst's A team of Usim Odim, Fyn Nadel, Aryanpour, and Van De Water combined for a lightning-fast 42.12, the top time of the event and one of the meet's standout swims.

Individually, Amherst brought the heat in the sprint finals. First-year Owen Vale powered his way to a win in the 100-yard breaststroke, touching first in 58.53, while classmate Jeffrey Ge followed closely behind to secure second place. The Mammoths also made noise in the 100-yard freestyle, where JP Giglio claimed first place in 47.36, with Teddy Sun adding a runner-up finish in 48.25.

Short-distance speed was on full display in the 25-yard and 50-yard events. Odim delivered a highlight-reel performance in the 50-yard backstroke, winning the event outright in 24.52, while Henry LeCates finished second in the 50-yard butterfly with a time of 22.89. Amherst's depth was evident throughout the sprint fields, with multiple Mammoths placing among the top finishers across the butterfly, freestyle, and backstroke races.

The Menck Invitational concluded with Amherst firmly established as one of the weekend's most explosive teams, using the non-scoring format to sharpen race skills and build momentum heading into the heart of the season. 

MEET HIGHLIGHTS
• Fyn Nadel set a pool record in the 100-yard breaststroke, delivering one of the weekend's top performances.
• Owen Vale also rewrote the record books, setting a pool record in the 200-yard individual medley and breaking both the pool and NESCAC records in the 100-yard IM.
• Amherst won the 200-yard freestyle relay in 1:24.61, raced by Ethan Van De Water, Tom Conaty, Cameron Aryanpour, and Roan Haney.
• The Mammoths also captured the 100-yard medley relay, posting the fastest time of the meet at 42.12.
• JP Giglio claimed first place in the 100-yard freestyle (47.36), with Teddy Sun adding a runner-up finish.
• Usim Odim won the 50-yard backstroke in 24.52 and added a top-six finish in the 25-yard butterfly.
The mammoths will be back in action next week on Saturday, January 31st as they face the MIT Beavers in Cambridge, MA.