Energy was high in the F.M. Kirby Pool this past weekend as Drew Swim hosted its annual Ranger Invitational. Having occurred across four different sessions on Dec. 2nd and Dec. 3rd, the swim meet offered a chance for the attending five teams (Drew, Elizabethtown, FDU-Florham, Moravian, and Ramapo) to showcase a series of impressive races. This mid-season invite was a momentous meet for the Rangers, serving as a preview to the Landmark Conference Championships that will take place in February.
The weekend was filled with nothing but exciting swims and Ranger successes as both the men’s and women’s swimming & diving teams took an overall first place finish. The men’s team won with 277 points, with the Elizabethtown Blue Jays coming in second with 194 points. The men’s strong finish marks the sixth straight Ranger Invitational title that they’ve secured. Winning by an even more impressive margin, the women’s team finished with 327 points in front of Elizabethtown, who again placed second with 169 points. This is the seventh straight Ranger Invitational title for the women’s team.
In addition to besting the visiting teams, Drew posted a number of personal successes throughout the meet. The Rangers collectively broke 10 team records, with the men’s and women’s teams taking home five apiece.
Leading the way for the men was Hayden Koh (‘25), who broke individual school records and was a part of two record-breaking relay teams. In addition to breaking multiple school records, Koh finished the meet with three NCAA B-cuts and two Landmark Conference individual records, solidifying his reputation as one of Landmark’s most formidable swimmers. The men won 14 out of the 19 events, including all five relay races, and were aided further by top performances from Yan Zheng Lew (‘25), Finn Armitt (‘24), Marco Niro (‘24) and Josh Roberts (‘23).
On the women’s side, Katie Cashin (‘23) won all six of her races, contributing significantly to the team’s overall success during the meet. Cashin was a valuable component in helping Drew establish three new team records, including one individual and two relay records. Also securing important wins for Drew was Amira Ahmad Hadri (‘24) in the 100-backstroke, Sam Trodick in the 200-breaststroke (‘25), and Ece Onatca in the 200-backstroke (‘26).
These dramatic triumphs over their opponents not only proved the Rangers’ prowess in the pool but showed the team that, through their astounding results, their tireless work over the course of the season has paid off and catapulted the Rangers to the top of the conference rankings. Following this weekend’s competition, both the men’s and women’s swim teams are ranked first in the Landmark Conference, with Catholic University trailing not far behind.
The Ranger Invitational was the last Rangers swim meet for the Fall 2022 semester. The teams are now off from competition until Jan. 21st when the men and women will take on Goucher College, heading to Landmark Conference Championships not long after.
New Drew Team Records:
- Women’s 400-IM (Katie Cashin – 4:31.18)
- Women’s 100-backstroke (Amira Ahmad Hadri – 58.06)
- Women’s 100-breaststroke (Tori Newton – 1:08.04)
- Men’s 100-backstroke (Hayden Koh – 49.55)
- Men’s 100-butterfly (Hayden Koh – 48.25)
- Men’s 200-butterfly (Hayden Koh – 1:48.56)
- Women’s 200-medley relay (Amira Ahmad Hadri, Tori Newton, Katie Cashin, Grace Aboussleman – 1:46.90)
- Women’s 400-medley relay (Amira Ahmad Hadri, Tori Newton, Katie Cashin, Grace Aboussleman – 3:55.77)
- Men’s 200-freestyle relay (Brendan Burkett, Hayden Koh, Finn Armitt, Josh Roberts – 1:23.97)
- Men’s 400-freestyle relay (Hayden Koh, Brendan Burkett, Finn Armitt, Josh Roberts – 3:06.89)
Charlotte Wells is junior double majoring in English and French and minoring in humanities.
