ALLENTOWN, Pa. – The Gallaudet University men's swimming team opened Atlantic East Conference competition Saturday afternoon against four-time defending conference champion Marymount (Va.) University in a neutral-site meet hosted by Cedar Crest College.

The Bison (1-5, 0-1 Atlantic East) fell to the Saints, 168-15, as Marymount (1-0, 1-0 Atlantic East) opened its dual-meet schedule with a convincing victory. The Saints had not competed since participating in the Potomac Relays in late September.

First year Joshua Hoffnagle (St. Augustine, Fla.) led Gallaudet with a pair of fourth-place finishes in the 200-yard freestyle (2:07.25) and 100-yard breaststroke (1:15.98).

Sophomore Jordan Antonio (Rochester, N.Y.) finished fourth in the 100-yard backstroke (1:46.23) and sixth in the 200-yard freestyle (3:14.96).

Junior Allen Davis (Port St. Lucie, Fla.) placed fourth in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle events with times of 30.86 seconds and 1:16.58, respectively. First year Kenneth Palmer (Chicago, Ill.) followed with fifth-place finishes in the same events, posting times of 34.01 seconds and 1:26.39.

The Bison closed the meet with a third-place finish in the 200-yard freestyle relay as Hoffnagle, Antonio, Palmer and Davis combined for a time of 2:06.76.

Marymount was led by reigning Atlantic East Men's Swimmer of the Year Luke Claudy, who won the 50-yard freestyle (21.54 seconds) and 100-yard freestyle (47.69 seconds). Reigning conference Rookie of the Year Noah Popp added victories in the 200-yard individual medley (2:00.53) and 100-yard backstroke (53.73 seconds).

The Saints' Nathan Bruley and Ethan Stowell battled in the 1,000-yard freestyle, where Bruley edged Stowell by 35-hundredths of a second to win in 10:33.12. Stowell finished second in 10:33.47.

UP NEXT
Gallaudet returns home Saturday, Nov. 14, to continue Atlantic East Conference competition against St. Mary's College of Maryland (3-2, 0-0 Atlantic East) at 1 p.m. in the Field House pool.