Army West Point Athletics
Crush, Manelis Earn Back-to-Back Patriot League Weekly Awards
February 04, 2025 | Men's Swimming and Diving
WEST POINT, N.Y. – Army West Point men's swimming & diving's Johnny Crush and David Manelis claimed two of the Patriot League's swimming & diving weekly awards for the second week in a row. After impressive performances at Penn State, Crush earned his seventh Patriot League Men's Swimmer of the Week title and Manelis secured his fourth Patriot League Men's Diver of the Week title of the season.
"It's great to see David and Johnny's performances be recognized in consecutive weeks. Our conference has gotten so much more competitive over the last few years and these honors are not easy to come by especially when they were earned against top-end competitors in Loyola & Penn State," said Director of Swimming & Diving Brandt Nigro. "It's a testament to the work and focus that they and the rest of our team brings each practice and meet. But now for us it's all eyes on the Patriot League championships - which I believe will be the fastest, deepest, and most competitive Patriot League Championships in the history of our league."
Crush, a freshman from Louisville, Ky. logged two individual first place finishes, an individual second place finish, and a second-place finish in the men's 200 medley relay in Army's final dual meet of the regular season at Penn State on Friday. Crush delivered dominating performances against Penn State, claiming first place in the men's 100 back (46.12) and the men's 200 back (1:44.02), finishing a half second and full second ahead of the nearest Penn State swimmer respectively.
He also competed in the 200 IM for the first time in his collegiate career and claimed second place with a 1:49.32 to help Army sweep the podium in the event alongside seniors Alex Edwards in first place and Kal Hahn in third place. As part of Army's 200 medley relay squad, Crush logged a personal best time in the 50 back opening leg of the relay (10.58) to help the Black Knights finish second just 0.31 seconds behind Penn State's top team.
Crush's seventh selection as the Patriot League Men's Swimmer of the Week this season sets a new Patriot League record for most times earning the award in a single season, surpassing the previous record of six selections in a single season that he tied last week alongside Navy's Adam Meyer ('08) and Mac Anthony ('12). Crush is also the only freshman in league history to lead the league in Men's Swimmer of the Week selections in a single season.
Manelis, a senior from Pittsburgh, Pa., earned two second place finishes in Army's final dual meet of the regular season at Penn State. Against Big Ten opponents, Manelis recorded a 297.45 on the 1-meter board and a 326.55 on the men's 3-meter board.
His total score in the 1-meter dive put him only 18 points behind the Nittany Lions' top diver and 42 points ahead of the third-place diver. On the 3-meter board, his total score came in 37 points behind Penn State's top diver and put him just under 50 points ahead of their third-place diver. The meet marks his sixth meet this season finishing in the top three on both boards.
UP NEXT
The Black Knights will return to action at the 2025 Patriot League Championships, held over February 19-22nd in Lewisburg, Pa.
"It's great to see David and Johnny's performances be recognized in consecutive weeks. Our conference has gotten so much more competitive over the last few years and these honors are not easy to come by especially when they were earned against top-end competitors in Loyola & Penn State," said Director of Swimming & Diving Brandt Nigro. "It's a testament to the work and focus that they and the rest of our team brings each practice and meet. But now for us it's all eyes on the Patriot League championships - which I believe will be the fastest, deepest, and most competitive Patriot League Championships in the history of our league."
Crush, a freshman from Louisville, Ky. logged two individual first place finishes, an individual second place finish, and a second-place finish in the men's 200 medley relay in Army's final dual meet of the regular season at Penn State on Friday. Crush delivered dominating performances against Penn State, claiming first place in the men's 100 back (46.12) and the men's 200 back (1:44.02), finishing a half second and full second ahead of the nearest Penn State swimmer respectively.
He also competed in the 200 IM for the first time in his collegiate career and claimed second place with a 1:49.32 to help Army sweep the podium in the event alongside seniors Alex Edwards in first place and Kal Hahn in third place. As part of Army's 200 medley relay squad, Crush logged a personal best time in the 50 back opening leg of the relay (10.58) to help the Black Knights finish second just 0.31 seconds behind Penn State's top team.
Crush's seventh selection as the Patriot League Men's Swimmer of the Week this season sets a new Patriot League record for most times earning the award in a single season, surpassing the previous record of six selections in a single season that he tied last week alongside Navy's Adam Meyer ('08) and Mac Anthony ('12). Crush is also the only freshman in league history to lead the league in Men's Swimmer of the Week selections in a single season.
Manelis, a senior from Pittsburgh, Pa., earned two second place finishes in Army's final dual meet of the regular season at Penn State. Against Big Ten opponents, Manelis recorded a 297.45 on the 1-meter board and a 326.55 on the men's 3-meter board.
His total score in the 1-meter dive put him only 18 points behind the Nittany Lions' top diver and 42 points ahead of the third-place diver. On the 3-meter board, his total score came in 37 points behind Penn State's top diver and put him just under 50 points ahead of their third-place diver. The meet marks his sixth meet this season finishing in the top three on both boards.
UP NEXT
The Black Knights will return to action at the 2025 Patriot League Championships, held over February 19-22nd in Lewisburg, Pa.
Players Mentioned
Back/Free/Fly
/ Men's Swimming and Diving
IM
/ Men's Swimming and Diving
Diving
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