LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Bellarmine University men's swimming team begins its second season in Division I Saturday at Gardner-Webb.

The Knights start with the Runnin' Bulldogs before their first home meet on Oct. 30 against Centre College. 

Alongside the women's team, the men competed just three times in a shortened season last year due to COVID.  Eight meets are on the schedule in 2021-22 before the CCSA Swimming & Diving Championships Feb. 16-19 and National Invitational Championship March 10-12.

"We're anchored by several seniors, and we'll need to step up around them.  It's a very balanced group that will be in the mix in a conference that has a lot of parity," Knights Head Coach John Brucato said.  "We're in a position to be in many of the top spots at a lot of CCSA events."

The first November meet for the men's swimming team is the Southern Illinois Invite Nov. 11-13 in Carbondale, Ill.  That is followed by a Dec. 4 matchup with Eastern Illinois on the campus of Indiana State. 

The Knights begin 2022 with a meet against South Carolina in Nashville, TN.  Bellarmine's second home meet is next as BU takes on Evansville at the Mary T. Meagher Aquatic Center. 
A trip to Xavier on Jan. 22 precedes the final regular season meet of the year at home against Ball State on Jan. 28.

The Knights are led by senior Matthew Sims, who is fresh off a trip to the Olympic Trials in June.  Sims qualified for the Olympic Trials in 200 butterfly – an event that has led to three conference championships in a row for the Fort Wright, Kentucky native.  After two GLVC titles and first-team All-American honors in Division II, Sims won gold at the CCSA Championships for 200 butterfly in February.  He also earned bronze as part of the 800 freestyle relay team.  Sims holds individual program records for 200 butterfly and 400 individual medley. In October of 2020, Sims was voted Bellarmine's Swimmer of the Decade.

Matthew's twin brother Daniel Sims is also expected to make a big impact this season.  D. Sims earned silver in the 200 breaststroke and was part of the bronze-winning 800 freestyle relay at the CCSA Championships last season.  He also posted top-ten finishes in the 200 IM (sixth) and 100 breaststroke (seventh).  D. Sims holds the Bellarmine record for 200 individual medley and is a member of the record-holding 800 freestyle relay team alongside his brother.

Another key swimmer for the Knights is junior Jacob Dray.  At the CCSA Championships, Dray earned silver in the 100 butterfly (with a program-record 48.31) and bronze in the 200 medley relay.  As a sophomore, he finished first in the 100 butterfly in two out of Bellarmine's three regular season meets.  Dray also received top 10 finishes at the conference championships in the 200 freestyle relay (fourth) and 200 butterfly (sixth).

Other returners who placed top-ten at the CCSA Championships last year include Kenton Whiteley (sixth in 500 freestyle), Greyson Williams (ninth in 500 freestyle), Adham Howaidy (ninth in 100 backstroke), Will O'Connor (10th in 50 freestyle), Patrick Jackson (10^th in 100 butterfly), and Carter Reynolds (10^th in 100 breaststroke).

Alongside the Sims brothers, the seniors are Aubrey Archer Adams (freestyle/butterfly), Chance Fiallo (mid-distance/distance), and Conner Lynn (spring/mid-distance freestyle).

The juniors are Dray (sprint butterfly/freestyle), Howaidy (backstroke/freestyle), Jackson, O'Connor (sprint freestyle), Sam Russell (distance freestyle), and Brendan Verna (butterfly/freestyle).

The sophomore group includes Tyler Diercks (backstroke), Nicholas Green (butterfly/backstroke/freestyle), Keegan Henderson (IM/butterfly), Andrew Nguyen (breaststroke/sprint freestyle), Reynolds (IM/breaststroke), and Whiteley (IM/freestyle).

Bellarmine's freshman class consists of Matt Carrico (backstroke), John Paul Metzner (freestyle/butterfly), and Brandon Thomas (IM/distance freestyle).

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