Navy Sweeps Army In Star Series Meet; Johnny Crush Hits 1:39.72 200 Back For Academy Record

ARMY VS NAVY (STAR SERIES)

• October 23, 2026
• West Point, N.Y.
• SCY (25 yards)
• Results

Courtesy: Navy Athletics

WEST POINT, N.Y. — The depth of the Navy swimming and diving teams carried the Mids past Army, Friday evening at Crandall Pool in West Point in the annual Star Meet, part of the Army-Navy Star Series presented by USAA.  The Navy women’s team (4-1) won 12 events and placed at least first and second in seven individual events during a 204-96 win over the Black Knights (2-1).  The Navy men’s team (5-0) won 10 events and also finished at a minimum of first and second in seven events as part of a 188-112 victory over Army (1-1).

“Great team win,” said Navy women’s swimming head coach John Morrison, who with the win improved his record at Navy to 22-1 in Star Meets. “Knowing of the possibility of competing against Army so early in the season, we needed our senior leadership to set the tone on the first day of preseason practice.  We are extremely proud of them for all of the energy they brought each day.  They trusted the process and held our team to a high standard.”

“On behalf of our staff,” said Navy men’s swimming head coach Bill Roberts, who is now 22-2 against the Black Knights, “I could not be prouder of our team.  They bought into everything we asked of them and executed extremely well all fall leading up to tonight’s meet.  There were several significant changes with this meet, and I felt we adjusted very well from beginning to end.

“We also want to extend our congratulations to our women’s team for a dominant performance tonight.  They were extremely impressive and fun to both watch and support.”

The diving events were held prior to the start of the swimming portion of the meet.  The Navy men’s team held a 31-7 edge after the Mids placed first, second and third in the one-meter event and first, second and fourth in the three-meter competition.  James Boardman won both boards in his first Army-Navy meet with scores of 344.05 on the one-meter board and 368.50 in the three-meter event.  Finn Gelbach placed second (336.20) and Andrew Garrison third (286.85) in the former event and Gelbach was second (346.35) in the latter.

Conversely, Navy’s women’s team found itself trailing 25-13 after the diving events, but won the first three swimming races to take a 56-37 lead.

The run started with Navy winning and also placing third in the 200 medley relay (1:39.35, 1:41.22).  Then Brynn Stoneburg (10:02.05) won the 1000 free with teammate Marin Rose placing second (10:09.62).  That effort was followed by Kaitlyn Landers (1:47.43), Erin Miller (1:48.04) and Elizabeth Bryan (1:49.31) going 1-2-3 in the 200 free.

“Our medley relay set the tone with a pool record,” said Morrison, “then our distance team and 200 freestylers kept the momentum going.  The team continued to support one another to many incredible early season performances.”

In the men’s races, Army won the 200 medley relay to allow the Black Knights to slightly cut into the Navy lead (37-18).  The Mids quickly regained control in the 1000 free as Chase Maier (8:57.45), Luca Oliva (9:13.20) and Paul Mullen (9:22.75) were the top-three finishers in the race.  Martin Perecinsky followed by winning the 200 free in a time of 1:33.55.

Army swept the first-place finishes in the women’s and men’s 100 backstroke races in what would be the lone time the Black Knights would do so on the night.

Corinne Warriner led a 1-2-3 Navy finish with her 1:00.09 in the 100 breast as Marley Barnard placed second (1:01.25) and Danica Aten finished in third place (1:02.05).  The men’s race saw Juan Mora win the event in a time of 52.77.  Women’s team captain Clarice Spencer claimed the gold medal in the women’s 200 fly (2:01.38), with Dean Jones (1:43.86) and Andre Brooks (1:46.34) taking first and second places, respectively, in the men’s race.

The first half of the meet ended with Army winning the women’s 50 free and Navy placing first (Lachlan Andrew, 19.75), second (Preston Kessler, 19.83) and third (Henry Cain, 20.01) in the men’s sprint.

Landers earned her second win of the meet as she posted a time of 50.19 to win the 100 free, then Ela Habjan (2:00.92) and Hannah Bateman (2:01.24) placed first and second in the 200 back.  That was followed by another 1-2-3 Navy finish in the 200 breast with Warriner (2:12.58), Barnard (2:12.85) and Bryan (2:16.84) claiming the three medals.

Meanwhile, Army won the men’s 100 free and 200 back events before Mora picked up a second win in the 200 breast (1:54.37).

The Navy teams proceeded to combine to outscore Army 32-6 in the 500 free races.  Aten (4:50.40), Stoneburg (4:52.69) and Rose (4:59.49) were the top-three finishers in the women’s race with Maier (4:20.72), Jones (4:23.99) and Ben Mauldin (4:24.10) matching that effort in the men’s race.

Spencer tallied her second victory in the 100 fly with a time of 55.35, then Bryan (2:00.78), Elsie De La Cruz (2:02.46) and Warriner (2:05.13) finished in first, second and third places in the 200 IM.

The last two individual events of the meet on the men’s side saw Army win the 100 fly before Noah Robinson won (1:47.41) and Coleman Yates finished second (1:48.98) in the 200 IM.

The Mids then placed first and second in the women’s 400 free relay while the Black Knights won the men’s race to close the meet.

“I want to make special mention of our seniors for leading the way with team captain Ben Irwin in front,” said Roberts.  “They really have been awesome in the way they have led this team.  We’re so happy for them along with the entire team, and are excited to keep this going.”

Both Navy teams will play host to George Washington Wednesday at 4 p.m. in Lejeune Hall.

Courtesy: Army Athletics