By Jim Fenton
BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University men's swimming & diving team will be going for a three-peat this week.
Since joining the Little East Conference in the 2021-22 season, the Bears have finished first both times they took part in the championship meet.
BSU looks to make it three in a row when the conference's five teams get together in Wellesley for a four-day meet that starts Thursday.
"It's obviously a challenge," said Bears coach Michael Caruso. "You've gone from being the hunter to the hunted. You just hope the team doesn't get complacent. That's the biggest challenge. It's nice to put the work in for so many years and see it come to fruition."
BSU, which previously competed in the New England Intercollegiate Swimming & Diving Association, piled up 979 points a year ago to win its second straight Little East title after getting 945 points the first year.
"I think they're fairly similar," said Caruso when asked to compare this season's team to the past squads. "Right now for our men, it's just doing what they're capable of doing. They are strong from top to bottom. We've got a lot of depth. We've got a lot of strength at the top.
"If they come in there with the right attitude, which they should have, they'll be ready to go."
The meet will be held at the Boston Sports Institute Friday-Sunday after opening with the diving competition at Babson College Thursday.
"Sprint, freestyle and backstroke are pretty strong for our men, but don't sleep on our distance and breaststroke,'' said Caruso. "It's really hard for us to find a weakness in this group because they're multi-talented."
Freshman Aaron Fowler (Brookline, Mass.) has made a major impact in his first season swimming for the Bears.
Fowler has established four BSU records and been named the Little East swimmer and rookie of the week six times.
He owns school marks in the 50 freestyle (20.97), 100 freestyle (46.96), 50 butterfly (22.37) and the 100 butterfly (50.85).
"We anticipated he'd do well, and he's done really well," said Caruso. "He's physically talented. He's very understanding of what his capabilities are. Definitely thought he'd be an impact guy, and I think he's got the potential to be more than an impact guy."
Fowler ranks first in the Little East in the 50 and 100 freestyle, 50, 100 and 200 butterfly and the 50 backstroke.
Jirat Saengthong (Watertown, Mass.) has been impressive in his freshman season.
Saengthong has the second-best time in the conference in the 100 freestyle (48.53) and 200 freestyle (1:49.69) and is third in the 50 freestyle (21.98).
Cooper Sever (Edgewater, Md.), a sophomore, has the best time in the conference in the 100 backstroke (55.49) and the 100 backstroke (2:03.64) and is fourth in the 200 freestyle (1:51.23).
Senior Cooper Castellone (South Windsor, Conn.) was a Little East champion in 2023 in the 100 and 200 breaststroke. He ranks second in the 100 breaststroke (1:00.90) and 200 breaststroke (2:16.60) and third in the 50 breaststroke (28.45).
"He's a big-meet swimmer," said Caruso. "When the lights are the brightest, that's when he shines the brightest."
Senior Joseph Pervier (Baldwinville, Mass.) won the 100 freestyle with a record-breaking performance at the Little East meet last season.
Senior Connor Young (Chelmsford, Mass.) ranks second in the 1,000 freestyle (10:44.02) and the 1,650 freestyle (17:57.30) as well as the 400 individual medley (4:37.98).
"The returning men, especially the senior class, they're the rock behind the team," said Caruso. "They bring a lot of stability and a lot of experience and there's some very good athletes in that group, too."