NEWARK, NJ — On an exciting day of racing, NJIT finished in 2nd place out of the 5 competing teams of the NJIT Invitational Saturday inside the Joel and Diane Bloom Wellness and Events Center.
University of Bridgeport (1,067) won the event, which began with a Friday session and concluded with a morning and afternoon session on Saturday. NJIT (1,042) finished just behind. Villanova (843), Monmouth (646), and Saint Peter's (188) rounded out the field.
Three pool records were broken on Saturday, including NJIT's Borys Endlé setting a new 200 Yard Breaststroke mark (1:59.01). Villanova set a new record in the 200 Freestyle Relay (1:22.74) to open up Saturday's event, and Monmouth's Izan Arroyo Lopez Del Castillo broke the 1650 Freestyle record by posting a 15:26.89.
NJIT led after the Friday session and concluded the meet on fire, winning 4 of the final 6 events — with a pair of 2nd Place finishes — in the afternoon session Saturday.
"Very proud of how this team finished the last session," said NJIT Head Coach Ron Farina. "They show a lot of grit and toughness after a lot of racing this weekend."
NJIT dominated the afternoon session of the meet while tracking down Bridgeport.
Andrew Cellar (1:51.21) took home the 200 Backstroke. Luca Angelini won the 100 Freestyle for his second event win of the Invitational. Endlé's strong meet had its signature moment with the pool record-setting 1:59.01 to win the 200 Breaststroke (which Monmouth's Victor Pottier Ibanez would've also set had Endlé not rallied to take 1st Place). And Mohamed Walid won a second event of the Invitational by winning the 200 Butterfly (1:49.76).
NJIT's two event non-wins in the afternoon session were 2nd Place finishes. Yonatan Ahdut posted a 15:40.10 in the 1650 Freestyle, a new personal best. NJIT's top-finishing relay team in the 400 Free Relay — Angelini, Jamar Josephs, Vittorio Giambelli, and Sam Lorenc — timed a 3:04.51 for 2nd Place.
On the diving board, Beckham DiPierro swept the field, winning both the 1 and 3 Meter events.
Friday afternoon belonged to NJIT.
Angelini won the overall event in the 50 Free Skins race — a elimination tournament-style of the 50 Yard Freestyle in which Angelini made the cut through 3 rounds and defeated Bridgeport's Aleksander Rustad to win the final. 30 total swimmers competed in the Skins.
Walid was NJIT's other individual swim event winner Friday, taking home the 200 IM (1:51.83). The Highlanders had 3 finish in the Top 5 in that event, with Endle in 2nd Place and Lorenc in 5th.
Up Next
NJIT prepares for what should be a fun Homecoming weekend, highlighted by the Fall Alumni Meet next Saturday at noon.
Follow the Highlanders
Stay updated on NJIT Swimming & Diving through Instagram (@njitswimdive), X (@NJITSwimDive), and Facebook (NJIT Men's Swimming and Diving).
