LANCASTER, Pa. -- Franklin & Marshall's Matthew Hurford secured Swimmer of the Year accolades while Swarthmore's Danny Castle and the Garnet coaching staff also garnered major awards to lead the 2024 All-Centennial Men's Swimming Team.
Hurford garnered Swimmer of the Year laurels after securing two golds and one bronze individually while also contributing to a pair of record-breaking relays for the Diplomats at the Centennial championship meet. Individually, Hurford won the 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle and added a third-place finish in the 200 freestyle, grabbing NCAA B cut times in all three events. The junior also was a major factor in winning 800 freestyle and 200 freestyle relays. His 19.83 split in the 200 freestyle relay was the fastest in the field and his split of 1:39.31 in the 800 freestyle relay was the second fastest. He also swam the leadoff leg of the second-place 400 freestyle relay team, with all three of those relays also achieving NCAA B cuts. Hurford's 50 and 200 freestyle times both rank seventh all-time in Centennial history, while his 100 freestyle time is fifth. His 50 freestyle (28th) and 100 freestyle (24th) marks are also among the top-30 nationally.
Castle captured Rookie of the Year following an impressive first-year campaign for the Garnet. Throughout the season he won all but three individual races, including only one loss to an opposing team. At the CC championship Castle led off the winning 200 medley relay, anchored the runner-up 800 freestyle relay with the fastest split in the field, anchored the winning 400 medley relay and swam the second leg on the winning 400 freestyle relay with the fastest split in the field. Individually, he placed second in the 200 IM with the second-fastest time in conference history, finished second in the 200 freestyle with the third-fastest time in CC history, and placed second in the 100 freestyle with the seventh-fastest time in CC history. Castle was twice named CC Swimmer of the Week throughout the season and currently ranks among the top-50 nationally in the 200 free (26th), 200 IM (35th) and 100 free (49th).
The Swarthmore coaching staff was tabbed as Coaching Staff of the Year for the second year in a row. Head coach Karin Colby and assistants Sam Davy, Dave Washick, Mike Pace, Leisha Shaffer and Charlie Kennedy guided Swarthmore to their third straight CC team title, an 8-1 overall dual record, including a perfect 6-0 mark vs. CC competition, and a ranking of 21st nationally from the College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA).
Gold medalists at the CC championship earn first team All-Centennial honors and silver medalists earn second team All-Centennial honors in both individual events and relays. Individual bronze medalists are named All-Centennial honorable mention. Swarthmore led the All-Centennial team with 15 swimmers honored, including 10 on the first team. F&M was next with nine all-star performers, followed by Gettysburg (7), Ursinus (2), Washington College (2) and Dickinson (1).
Swimmer of the Year – Matthew Hurford, Franklin & Marshall
Rookie of the Year – Danny Castle, Swarthmore
Coaching Staff of the Year – Swarthmore
First Team
| Name |
School |
Cl. |
Event(s) |
Hometown / High School |
| Sean Conley |
Franklin & Marshall |
Sr. |
800 FR |
Arlington, Va. / Washington-Lee |
| John Devaney |
Franklin & Marshall |
Jr. |
200 FR |
New Hope, Pa. / New Hope-Solebury |
| Matthew Hurford |
Franklin & Marshall |
Jr. |
800 FR | 50 Free | 200 FR | 100 Free |
Garnet Valley, Pa. / Garnet Valley |
| Sam Kamdin |
Franklin & Marshall |
So. |
800 FR | 200 FR | 100 Back |
Towson, Md. / Towson |
| Ben Lockey |
Franklin & Marshall |
So. |
200 FR |
Highland Park, N.J. / Saint Joseph |
| Henry Tavens |
Frankin & Marshall |
So. |
800 FR |
Solon, Ohio / Solon |
| Sam Nelson |
Gettysburg |
Fr. |
1650 Free |
Gettysburg, Pa. / Gettysburg Area |
| Danny Castle |
Swarthmore |
Fr. |
200 MR | 400 MR | 400 FR |
Highland Park, Ill. / Highland Park |
| Ethan Marotte |
Swarthmore |
Sr. |
400 FR |
Conway, Ark. / Conway |
| Ben Freeman |
Swarthmore |
Sr. |
500 Free | 200 Free |
Lakewood, Colo. / Colorado Academy |
| Cole Griscavage |
Swarthmore |
Jr. |
200 MR | 400 FR |
Lafayette Hill, Calif. / College Prep. School |
| Dylan Herink |
Swarthmore |
Fr. |
400 IM | 200 Back |
Waterloo, Iowa / West |
| Andrew Karpenko |
Swarthmore |
Sr. |
200 IM | 400 MR | 100 Breast | 200 Breast |
Minneapolis, Minn. / Minnehaha Acad. |
| Joey Lukner |
Swarthmore |
Jr. |
400 MR |
Houston, Texas / J Frank Dobie |
| Sam Peterson |
Swarthmore |
So. |
200 Fly |
Leawood, Kan. / Blue Valley North |
| Ben Wesley |
Swarthmore |
Sr. |
200 MR | 100 Fly | 400 FR |
Prospect Park, Pa. / Episcopal Academy |
| Cami Wilson |
Swarthmore |
So. |
200 MR | 400 MR |
Birmingham, Mich. / International Acad. |
Second Team
| Name |
School |
Cl. |
Event(s) |
Hometown / High School |
| Sean Conley |
Franklin & Marshall |
Sr. |
200 MR |
Arlington, Va. / Washington-Lee |
| John Devaney |
Franklin & Marshall |
Jr. |
200 MR | 400 MR | 400 FR |
New Hope, Pa. / New Hope-Solebury |
| Matthew Hurford |
Franklin & Marshall |
Jr. |
400 FR |
Garnet Valley, Pa. / Garnet Valley |
| Sam Kamdin |
Franklin & Marshall |
So. |
400 MR |
Towson, Md. / Towson |
| Ben Lockey |
Franklin & Marshall |
So. |
200 MR | 400 FR |
Highland Park, N.J. / Saint Joseph |
| Patrick Rooney |
Franklin & Marshall |
So. |
400 MR |
Ardmore, Pa. / Malvern Prep |
| Henry Tavens |
Franklin & Marshall |
So. |
400 FR |
Solon, Ohio / Solon |
| Evan Willertz |
Franklin & Marshall |
Jr. |
200 MR | 400 MR |
West Bath, Maine / Morse |
| Luke McKenna |
Gettysburg |
Sr. |
1650 Free |
Collegevile, Pa. / Spring-Ford |
| Declan Sheeran |
Gettysburg |
Sr. |
200 Breast |
McLean, Va. / McLean |
| John Verosko |
Gettysburg |
So. |
500 Free |
Gainesville, Va. / Patriot |
| Danny Castle |
Swarthmore |
Fr. |
800 FR | 200 IM | 200 Free | 100 Free |
Highland Park, Ill. / Highland Park |
| Ben Freeman |
Swarthmore |
Sr. |
800 FR |
Lakewood, Colo. / Colorado Academy |
| Cole Griscavage |
Swarthmore |
Jr. |
200 FR |
Lafayette Hill, Calif. / College Prep. School |
| Will Kilponen |
Swarthmore |
Fr. |
100 Back |
Kinnelon, N.J. / Kinnelon |
| Dylan Ling |
Swarthmore |
So. |
200 Fly |
Bellevue, Wash. / Newport |
| Ethan Marotte |
Swarthmore |
Sr. |
200 FR |
Conway, Ark. / Conway |
| Sam Peterson |
Swarthmore |
So. |
800 FR |
Leawood, Kan. / Blue Valley North |
| Jacob Sherman |
Swarthmore |
Jr. |
200 Back |
Stamford, Conn. / Westhill |
| Ben Wesley |
Swarthmore |
Sr. |
200 FR | 100 Breast |
Prospect Park, Pa. / Episcopal Academy |
| Ham Williams-Tracy |
Swarthmore |
Jr. |
800 FR | 400 IM |
Charlotte, N.C. / Myers Park |
| Cami Wilson |
Swarthmore |
So. |
50 Free | 200 FR | 100 Fly |
Birmingham, Mich. / International Acad. |
Honorable Mention
| Name |
School |
Cl. |
Event(s) |
Hometown / High School |
| James Wright |
Dickinson |
So. |
200 Back |
Richmond, Va. / Freeman |
| Sean Conley |
Franklin & Marshall |
Sr. |
200 IM |
Arlington, Va. / Washington-Lee |
| Matthew Hurford |
Franklin & Marshall |
Jr. |
200 Free |
Garnet Valley, Pa. / Garnet Valley |
| Mason Dillon |
Gettysburg |
Jr. |
400 IM |
Hummelstown, Pa. / Lower Dauphin |
| Edward Kim |
Gettysburg |
Fr. |
100 Back |
Weston, Conn. / Weston |
| Max McAlister |
Gettysburg |
So. |
100 Fly |
Powell, Ohio / Olentangy |
| Declan Sheeran |
Gettysburg |
Sr. |
100 Breast |
McLean, Va. / McLean |
| Finn Conaway |
Swarthmore |
Sr. |
1650 Free |
Eugene, Ore. / Winston Churchill |
| Stephen Lyons |
Ursinus |
Sr. |
50 Free | 100 Free |
Palmyra, Pa. / Palmyra |
| David McCauley |
Ursinus |
So. |
500 Free |
Deerfield, Ill. / Deerfield |
| Zach Affeldt |
Washington College |
Jr. |
200 Breast |
Savage, Minn. / Burnsville |
| Shane Brace |
Washington College |
So. |
200 Fly |
Hershey, Pa. / Hershey |
Sportsmanship Team
- Andrew Kelley, Dickinson, So., Methuen, Mass.
- Evan Willertz, Franklin & Marshall, Jr., West Bath, Maine
- Luke McKenna, Gettysburg, Sr., Collegeville, Pa.
- Josh Morgan, McDaniel, Fr., Bel Air, Md.
- Theo Kim, Swarthmore, Fr., Cerritos, Calif.
- Alex Kessel, Ursinus, Sr., Knoxville, Tenn.
- Patrick Downes, Washington College, Jr., Newport, Del
