WASHINGTON -- As the Atlantic 10 Conference excelled on the basketball court, the league added four men’s Olympic sports ahead of the 1978 season – one of which was men’s swimming and diving. The University of Pittsburgh captured the inaugural Eastern Intercollegiate Swimming Championship, which was used to determine the A-10's champion.  

Former A-10 members established dynasties in the sport first by the Penn State Nittany Lions. Penn State captured four straight crowns from 1984 – 87. Brian Smith and Eric Becher won Swimmer of the Year, now recognized as Most Outstanding Performer, in 1985-86 and 1986-87, respectively. Penn State’s Jim Ebert claimed the league’s first diving award in 1984-85. 

Upon Penn State’s departure in 1991, a new powerhouse was formed. The Massachusetts Minutemen claimed 14 A-10 Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships over the span of 17 years. UMass won another pair of titles in 2014-15 and 2015-16.  

The Minutemen had five swimmers earn Most Outstanding Performer honors in that span: Chris Arsenault (1999-00), Billy Brown (2000-01), Evan Swisher (2006-07) and Alessandro Bomprezzi (2014-15). Four divers also claimed the Most Outstanding Diving Performer award during UMass’ dominance; R.J. Rappe (2007-08), Jason Cook (2008-11), Joshua Koppel (2013-14) and Trent Kindvall (2015-16). Set in the 2007-08 season, Rappe’s record in the 1-meter dive (635.90) and 3-meter dive (678.55) still stands. 

The George Washington Revolutionaries won the program’s first ever title in the 2016-17 campaign. That kickstarted a dominance of eight titles, including three straight from 2017-19 and five straight from 2021-25.  

The Revolutionaries are owners of 14 of the 20 A-10 records. Three of those record holders, Andrea Bolognesi, Moritz Fath and Connor Rodgers, went on to earn the league’s Most Outstanding Performer award. Fath holds the A-10's record for the 500-yard freestyle (4:19.21) and Bolognesi sits atop for the 100-yard breastroke. Rodgers, who shared the MOP award in 2023-24 and claimed it outright in 2024-25, holds three A-10 records. Set in the 2024-25 season, Rodgers has the fastest time in the 200-yard butterfly (1:43.40), 200-yard IM (1:44.24) and 400-yard IM (3:46.15). 

In the sport’s 48 years of existence, nine universities have raised the A-10 Men’s Swimming and Diving trophy. 29 student-athletes have earned the Most Outstanding Swimmer of the Year award, while 25 divers have collected the Most Outstanding Diving Performer.  

YEAR         SWIMMER                         DIVER 

2024-25    Connor Rodgers (GW)       Andrew Bell (UM)  

2023-24    Dylan Felt (DAV)                Andrew Bell (UM)  

                 Connor Rodgers (GW) 

2022-23    Dylan Felt (DAV)               Tommy Cotner (UM)  

2021-22    Marek Osina (GW)            Zyad Morsy (SBU)  

2020-21    Karol Mlynarczyk (GW)     Michael Bruno (SBU)  

2019-20    Moritz Fath (GW)               Peter Nachtwey (GW)  

2018-19    Moritz Fath (GW)               Peter Nachtwey (GW)  

2017-18    Gustav Hokfelt (GW)         Dylan Yurasits (LAS)  

2016-17    Andrea Bolognesi (GW)    Paul Helfgott (MASON)  

2015-16   Andrea Bolognesi (GW)     Trent Kindvall (UM)  

2014-15   Alessandro Bomprezzi (UM) Alex Marra (SBU)  

2013-14   Michael Pilyugin (SBU)      Joshua Koppel (UM)  

2012-13    Vatslav Lets (SBU)            Mike Murphy (SBU)  

2011-12    Michael Zennedjian (XU)   Mike Murphy (SBU)  

2010-11    Michael Zennedjian (XU)   Jason Cook (UM)  

2009-10    Edward LeBlanc (DUQ)    Jason Cook (UM)  

2008-09    David Zenk (GW)              Jason Cook (UM)  

2007-08    David Zenk (GW)              R.J. Rappe (UM)  

2006-07    Evan Swisher (UM)          Karo Isajan (LAS)  

2005-06    David Zenk (GW)             Karo Isajan (LAS)  

2004-05    Scott Darwin (DUQ)         Karo Isajan (LAS)  

2003-04   Adrian Blaszczak (SBU)    Karo Isajan (LAS)  

2002-03   Ryan Zaucha (UM)            Randy Kowlowski (SBU)  

2001-02   Borut Poje (SBU)               Sam Hood (LAS)  

2000-01   Billy Brown (UM)                Jamie Davidson (LAS)  

1999-00   Chris Arsenault (UM)         James Davidson (LAS)  

1998-99   Tim Champney (GW)         Frank Leopardi (URI)  

1997-98   Juan Bocanegra (GW)       Adam Vance (LAS)  

1996-97   Tim Champney (GW)         Paul Delo (FOR)  

1995-96   Akira Kosagi (FOR)  

1994-95   Jeff Farschon (RU)            Kevin Dunn (RU) 

1993-94   Jeff Farschon (RU)            Charles Davis (GW)  

1992-93   Larry Page (RU)                Eric Wagner (GW)  

1986-87   Eric Becher (PSU)             T.R. Keller (SBU)  

1985-86   Brian Smith (PSU)             T.R. Keller (SBU)  

1984-85   Craig Cooper (WVU)         Jim Ebert (PSU)