By Jim Fenton

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- Three meets into his Bridgewater State University swimming career, Matthew Jo (Tewksbury, Mass.) has already made quite an impression.

The freshman owns the season's top time among Little East Conference swimmers in the 1,000 freestyle and the third-best time in the 500 freestyle while winning a pair of races and finishing second in three others.

Jo, who enrolled at BSU this semester as an accounting major, joined the Bears' swimming & diving team for its training trip to Puerto Rico this month and took part in the first three meets of his career over a recent eight-day span.

On Wednesday night, in a loss to Division II Bentley University, Jo won the 1,000 freestyle in 10:40.46, the best mark in the Little East this season, topping the 10:41.04 by Alex Walsh of Husson University.

He was also second in the 500 freestyle against Bentley with a time of 5:04.69, ranking third in the Little East behind Walsh and Jay Creegan of Maine Maritime Academy.

"We anticipated he'd do well because you see things at practice," said BSU coach Mike Caruso. "But I don't think we anticipated this. It's not too often a freshman comes in like this.

"He told me he came to us in the best shape of his life. He's a super nice kid and a really hard worker. He's a trained distance swimmer, but he can pretty much do everything really when called upon.

"We don't know what his top end is yet. He did a lifetime best in the 200 backstroke his first meet, a lifetime best 1,000 and a lifetime best 200 and 500 already."

Jo was a Massachusetts high school champion three years in a row on the co-op Methuen-Tewksbury team.

He began swimming competitively at the age of eight and has been active on the club circuit in addition to having success at the high school level.

"My sister (Nicole) was a competitive swimmer and I joined the club team that she was on," said Jo. "She was definitely one of my early role models. I probably wouldn't have gotten into swimming without her.

"I liked swimming because it's a very unique sport. I really enjoyed doing it and I just stuck with it. Getting more experience every year and becoming more mature, with that, I think I've improved every year."

Jo made an overnight recruiting visit to the BSU campus last semester and liked the school and the swimming & diving program.

It was October when he decided to join the Bears in January after what he saw.

Now, he is making an immediate impact for BSU.

In Jo's collegiate debut at Eastern Connecticut State, he won the 200 backstroke (2:07.05) and was second in the 1,600 freestyle (11:05.83).

The Bears have their final home meet on Saturday afternoon against Babson College on Senior Day and travel to Plymouth State on Feb. 1 before the Little East Championships Feb. 13 16.

Jo was named the Little East Rookie of the Week on Monday after his performances against Eastern Connecticut State and in a tri-meet with Brandeis and Keene State (finishing second in the 500 freestyle).

"I was actually very shocked with the results," said Jo of his early success. "I didn't really expect it. But the training has been good. The training is one of the reasons why I was able to do it.

"It was very hard in Puerto Rico training, but it was definitely worth it. We did a lot of laps. I think it was the most I've done in my entire life.

"I've been putting a lot more work in every year and I'm happy with the results."

Jo is hoping to win an event at the Little East Championships to cap off his first collegiate season.

"I think I can do it," he said. "I feel pretty confident."