In a thrilling quad meet at Lejeune Hall, the Princeton Tigers made a splash, breaking records and showcasing their prowess in the pool. The meet, held on January 9-10, 2026, featured a star-studded lineup of teams: hosts Navy, Princeton, Delaware, and Kenyon. Among the standout performances, Princeton's Mitchell Schott emerged as a force to be reckoned with, shattering Michael Phelps' long-standing 200 freestyle record. But it wasn't just Schott who made waves; the women's team also dominated, sweeping the 400 IM and 50 free events. However, the meet wasn't without its controversies, as some interpretations of the results sparked debate. So, let's dive into the details and explore the highlights and controversies of this exciting quad meet.
Women's Recap
The Princeton women's team demonstrated their strength and depth, sweeping the 400 IM and 50 free events. Eleanor Sun led the way in the 400 IM, claiming the top spot with a time of 4:13.60. Her teammates, Sophie Segerson and Meg Wheeler, finished 2nd and 3rd, respectively, completing a remarkable sweep for Princeton. In the 50 free, Sabrina Johnston turned in the fastest time, clocking in at 22.59. Veronique Rossouw finished just behind her, with a time of 23.16. Edie Simecek and Nicole De Pree rounded out the top four, with times of 23.17 and 23.66, respectively.
The Tigers' pair of Charlottes, Charlotte Norman and Charlotte Martinkus, dominated the 3-meter event. Norman scored the highest with a score of 327.35, while Martinkus took the runner-up spot with a score of 308.40. Savannah Skow surged to victory in the 200 free, finishing with a time of 1:46.10, three and a half seconds faster than her teammate, Chloe Kim, who finished 2nd in 1:49.60. Kim also earned wins in the 500 free (4:48.26) and the 1000 free (9:44.82) for Princeton.
Delaware's Victoria Novinsky had a stellar performance, earning three wins for the Blue Hens. She claimed the 100-meter butterfly in 52.39, more than a second faster than Skow, who finished 2nd in 53.68. Novinsky swept the butterfly events, dominating the 200 fly with a time of 1:55.74, the only swimmer under 1:58. Her final win for Delaware came in the 200 IM, where her time of 1:58.37 was the only performance under 2:00.
Kenyon's Kelsey Van Eldik earned a win in the 100 breast, finishing with a time of 1:00.76, ahead of Navy's Lauren Walsh in 1:02.13. The women's final scores were as follows:
- Princeton 268, Navy 84
- Princeton 266, Kenyon 86
- Princeton 237, Delaware 113
- Navy 187.5, Kenyon 165.5
- Delaware 201, Navy 152
- Delaware 204, Kenyon 149
Men's Recap
The Princeton men's team showcased their depth and talent, with Mitchell Schott leading the way. Schott dominated the 200 free, finishing nearly three full seconds ahead of the field in 1:32.72, breaking Michael Phelps' 2009 pool record of 1:33.14. Schott's swim still sits off his fastest ever time of 1:31.63 from the Ivy League Championships last season. Patrick Dinu also clipped a pool record swim, touching first in the 100 free with a time of 42.59, the only sub-43-second performer of the meet.
Schott also threw down an NCAA Qualifying time in the 200 fly, touching in a winning effort of 1:43.48, ahead of his teammate Arthur Balva in 1:45.53. He added a 500 free win in 4:18.57, capping off his individual wins for the weekend. Princeton finished 1-2-3-4 in the 400 IM, with Devyn Caples leading the way in 3:51.65, Balva just behind in 3:52.46, Jiarui Xue and Lucas Strobek finishing 3rd and 4th in 3:53.24 and 3:53.25, respectively. A similar result came in the 1-meter board, with Aidan Wang picking up the win in 346.90, while Chase Sorosky, Luka Martinovic, and Taso Callanan swept the next three spots, earning major points for the Tigers.
Wang doubled up on the wins with his performance on the 3-meter, leading another top four sweep for Princeton in 379.05. Martinovic (375.80), Lucas Fassi (364.30), and Sorosky (346.05) filled out the top four. Navy's Ben Irwin topped the 100 back in 46.86, just ahead of Parker Lenoce of Princeton in 47.11. Irwin's teammate, Juan Mora, dominated the 100 breast, touching almost a second and a half ahead of the field in 52.27.
Ben Denman-Grimm of Navy just barely outpaced Dinu in the 50 free, reaching the wall in 19.66, with Dinu just a fingertip behind in 19.67. The 50 free saw the top 5 performers all finish under 20 seconds. The men's final scores were as follows:
- Princeton 202, Navy 151
- Princeton 294, Kenyon 59
- Princeton 284, Delaware 69
- Navy 290, Kenyon 63
- Navy 266, Delaware 87
- Delaware 244, Kenyon 109
Controversies and Counterpoints
While the quad meet showcased some remarkable performances, it also sparked debates and controversies. One point of contention was the interpretation of the results in the 400 IM and 50 free events. Some argued that the times recorded were not accurate, while others praised the swimmers' performances. Additionally, the meet sparked discussions about the impact of record-breaking performances on the overall team scores. While some celebrated the achievements, others questioned the fairness of the scoring system. These controversies invite further discussion and analysis, encouraging readers to share their thoughts and interpretations in the comments section.
In conclusion, the quad meet at Lejeune Hall was a thrilling showcase of swimming talent and records. From Mitchell Schott's record-breaking performance to the women's team's dominance, the meet offered a wealth of highlights and controversies. As the swimming community continues to debate and discuss the results, one thing is clear: the Princeton Tigers have made their mark, leaving a lasting impression on the sport.
