Return Trip - Garr Headed Back To NCAA's

Worcester, Mass. - Sophomore Ryan Garr (Kingston, R.I.) punched his ticket back to the NCAA Championships with a record-setting performance in the 200-yard backstroke helping the Cougars wrap up the 2010 New England Men's and Women's Athletic Conference men's swimming championships in sixth place - just 20 points behind WPI.

Garr blazed his way to the Swimmer of the Year Award following his meet, school and pool record time of 1:50.28, which is in the "A" cut of the NCAA qualification standard.

Already the NEWMAC champion in the 100-yard backstroke with the 11th fastest time in the country, Garr now has back-to-back 200-yard titles to his credit following last year's first place finish.

Garr also set the tone with a school-record in the first leg of the 400-yard freestyle relay (46.77), pushing teammates Zach Eaton (Kittery Point, Maine), Cooper Hart (Palos Verdes Estates, Calif.) and Lamar Duffy (Pen Argyl, Pa.) to the second fastest time in school history (3:14.71).

Sophomore Sam Moody (Ellington, Conn.) turned in a sixth place finish in the 3-meter diving event, while Mark Stabile (Saco, Maine), Noah Ehrenberg (Silver Spring, Md.), Greg Wetmore (Phippsburg, Maine) all placed in the top 16.

MIT claimed the 2010 team title after registering 1027 points. They were followed by Coast Guard (947.5), Springfield (673.5) and Wheaton (312).