BU Swimming and Diving Teams Head to Patriot League Championships at Navy
Terriers prepared for the biggest meet of the year
BU’s men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams in a huddle at a meet on campus January 17, 2026. The Terriers are competing in the 2026 Patriot League Men’s and Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships February 18 to 21 at Navy. Photos by Eliza Nuestro
BU Swimming and Diving Teams Head to Patriot League Championships at Navy
Terriers are prepared for the biggest meet of the year
As a freshman, Haley Newman won the 200-meter butterfly at the 2022 Patriot League Men’s and Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships, but placed fifth in the same event the following year. The pressure of defending her title, she says, got to her, so she had to adjust her prerace mindset for the next tournament.
And it worked. At last year’s big meet, Newman (CAS’26), then a junior, was stress-free and laughing with her teammate Milena Busma (CAS’27) in the lead-up to the event. And she won the 200-meter butterfly for a second time.
Now, as a senior, she’s looking to do the same at this year’s competition.
“The goal going into this meet is to just soak in the good times with my team, as opposed to letting the pressure creep up on me,” Newman says.
Beginning Wednesday and running through Saturday, Newman and the rest of the Boston University men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams will compete in the 2026 Patriot League championships at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md.
After a third-place overall finish in last year’s championship, the women’s team has had an “incredible season” this year, says Newman, adding that this is the fastest team the Terriers have had in a long time. BU’s goal is to place in the top three overall in the upcoming championship.
“Records will be broken and I think quite a few medals will be handed out to us,” Newman predicts. “I’m really excited to see that.”
James Sica, head coach of both the men’s and women’s programs, is equally upbeat heading into the competition.
“We’re going to get better, and our team standing is going to improve,” he says. “We’re going to win events, and we’re going to be on the podium. It’s going to be awesome.”
The Terrier women are an extremely young team this season, boasting 10 freshmen. Although competing for a league championship is new for them, they’re prepared and ready to do damage.
The foursome of Molly Barber (CAS’29), Danka Ndubuisi (CAS’29), Kiki Rampersad (ENG’29), and Lily Osborn (Questrom’29) broke a school record in the 200-meter freestyle relay in October. Sica says they’ve all been major contributors this season and expects that to continue at the championship.
Newman, now preparing to close out her 13-year competitive swimming career, says the team’s youth has “refreshed her attitude” about swimming.
“It’s very easy as a senior to be exhausted and just kind of drag yourself to the finish line—but that has not been the case,” she says. “It’s almost like they make us young again.”
Tony Ponomarev (CAS’26) says the vibe surrounding the teams is “electric.” He set the BU record in the 200-meter backstroke in November and later helped set a school record in the 200-meter medley relay alongside Ethan Huynh (Sargent’27), Henry Dvorak (CAS’27), and Ben Cho (Questrom’26). Ponomarev expects to compete for the podium in both events at the championship.
Another standout for the Terriers is Giovanni Sullo (CAS’27), who holds the school record in the mile and is the top seed in the event heading into the tournament.
“He’s always been grinding,” Sica says. “He was third in the mile, on the podium for us last year, which was great, but I think overall he wanted more from his conference championship meet.”
The goal for the men’s team is to finish in the top four overall. The days of the meets are long and intense, and everything is a balancing act, Sica says, but he wants his teams to embrace the environment.
“That environment is gonna motivate you to do well,” he says. “Don’t let that change your routine, your preparation—kind of like what we’ve been doing all year to get you to this point.”
The Patriot League Men’s and Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships began Wednesday, February 18, and conclude Saturday, February 21, at the United States Naval Academy’s Lejeune Hall in Annapolis, Md. Live coverage of the tournament will be streamed via ESPN+. BU fans can find more information on goterriers.com and follow along on X (formerly Twitter) at @TerrierSwimDive and @BUGameDay.