Massachusetts
Massachusetts Swim & Dive Emerge Victorious Over Bryant On Senior Day – University of Massachusetts Athletics
Sophomore diver Andrew Bell picked up two gold medals in both diving events, including scoring a six-dive total of 409.05 in the three-meter dive, breaking his own previous school record of 397.28. Freshmen Beren Cakiroglu and Lindsay Burbage, and junior Anna Kwon tallied two first-place finishes apiece for the Minutewomen, as senior Minuteman Jack Artis touched the wall first twice on the day, as well.
Women’s Swimming & Diving
The Minutewomen tallied 24 top-three finishes, with coming away with 12 individual gold medals.
Cakiroglu swam a time of 1:55.84 to place first in the 200 freestyle, before senior Bri Williams picked up the gold in the 100 backstroke with a time of 57.79. Burbage touched the wall first in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:05.69, followed by fifth-year student Summer Pierce in second with a time of 1:08.54.
In the 200 butterfly, Kwon paced the Minutewomen with a time of 2:06.29 to finish first, as freshman Olga Stoura recorded a personal-best time of 2:11.66 to claim third. Senior Maggie Desmond raced into first with a time of 23.69 in the 50 freestyle event with fellow classmate Caroline Mahoney close behind in second with a time of 23.82.
Mahoney received the gold in the 100 freestyle with a time of 52.14, while Stoura took second with a time of 54.42. The Minutewomen, then, swept the podium in the 200 backstroke with senior Megan Mitchell leading with a time of 2:02.98. Williams finished second with a time of 2:04.97 and freshman Ali Merone earned third with a time of 2:11.15.
Another podium sweep saw Burbage secure her second individual gold of the day, swimming a time of 2:26.47 in the 200 breaststroke. Cakiroglu followed with a time of 2:26.70 in second and freshman Diya Ackerman-Vallala finished in third with a time of 2:28.83. Kwon placed first for the second time on the afternoon, recording a time of 5:07.50 in the 500 freestyle, as freshman Sophie Porter took third with a time of 5:26.38.
Pierce collected the gold in the 100 butterfly with a time of 57.45. Cakiroglu earned another first-place finish on the day in the 200 individual medley with a time of 2:09.98, while Kwon finished second in the event with a time of 2:10.02.
In the relays, the team of Mitchell, Burbage, Pierce and Desmond took first in the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:45.86. The squad of Williams, Ackerman-Vallala, senior Ashley Calderon and Mahoney placed second in the event, combining for a time of 1:47.41.
The 200 freestyle relay team consisting of Calderon, Mitchell, Desmond and Mahoney swam a time of 1:36.37 to claim first.
Men’s Swimming & Diving
The Minutemen tallied 25 top-three finishes, while collecting eight individual gold medals on the day.
Freshmen Jude Boukarroum and Aydin Erkan started off the individual events in the 1,000 freestyle, grabbing second (9:55.80) and third (10:08.43), respectively. Boukarroum’s time marked a season-best for the rookie. The 200 freestyle saw senior Juan Montori touch the wall first with a time of 1:44.66, followed by freshman Alonso Montori in third with a time of 1:45.75.
In the 100 backstroke, junior Beau Bengston swam a season-best time of 52.50 to claim second, while senior Eric Eastham finished 0.01 second behind in third (52.51). Artis led the way in the 100 breastroke with a time of 58.24 to collect the gold, as fellow classmate Freddie Borg earned the bronze with a time of 59.03 in the event.
Senior Charles Blanc placed first in the 200 butterfly with a time of 1:55.05 and junior Jake Bailey swam into second-place with a time of 1:58.06. Sophomore Sammy Quigg took first in the 50 freestyle with a time of 20.89, as sophomore Aidan Shepston recorded a season-best time of 21.41 in the event to claim third.
Graduate student Emerson Kiefer swam a time of 47.65 in the 100 freestyle to touch the wall first with Alonso Montori finished tied for third with a time of 48.06. Eastham secured the silver in the 200 backstroke with a time of 1:55.58. Artis picked up his second gold medal of the day with a time of 2:09.16 in the 200 breaststroke.
In the 500 freestyle, Boukarroum (4:47.43) and senior Wilson Dubois (4:52.16) placed second and third, respectively. Juan Montori swam a time of 50.78 in the 100 butterfly to finish in second place. Senior Sam Haddad capped off the individual events with a first-place finish in the 200 individual medley with a time of 1:56.32.
During the relay events, the 200 medley relay team of Bengston, Artis, junior Grant Beebe and Quigg swam into first place with a combined time of 1:33.86. The 200 freestyle team of Beebe, Shepston, Juan Montori and Quigg placed first after swimming a time of 1:25.32
On The Boards
Sophomore Shreeya Sinha competed for the Minutewomen in the diving events, placing second in both the one-meter and three-meter dive. She had a six-dive total of 242.48 in the one-meter, after scoring a 214.73 in the three-meter.
Bell broke a new school record in the one-meter dive, earning a personal-best score of 409.05 to claim the gold. He took first in the three-meter dive, as well, with his total of 364.28. Graduate student Tommy Cotner finished second in both events with season-best totals. In the one-meter, Cotner scored a 287.55, before earning a score of 313.43 in the three-meter.
Up Next
Massachusetts returns to the pool on Friday, January 19, for the Tate Ramsden Invitational, in Hanover, New Hampshire at 5 p.m.
Massachusetts
Life Care Center of Raynham earns deficiency‑free state inspection
Life Care Center of Raynham has received a deficiency‑free inspection result from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, a distinction awarded to a small share of the state’s licensed nursing homes, according to a community announcement.
The inspection was conducted as part of the state’s routine, unannounced nursing home survey process overseen by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. These comprehensive, multi‑day inspections evaluate multiple aspects of facility operations, including staffing levels, quality of care, medication management, cleanliness, food service and resident rights.
State survey records show that Life Care Center of Raynham met required standards during its most recent standard survey, with no deficiencies cited, based on publicly available state data.
The announcement states that fewer than 8% of Massachusetts nursing homes achieve deficiency‑free survey results. That figure could not be independently verified through state or federal data and is attributed to the announcement.
In addition to the state survey outcome, the facility is listed as a five‑star provider for quality measures on the federal Medicare Care Compare website. The five‑star quality measure rating reflects above‑average performance compared with other nursing homes nationwide, according to federal rating methodology.
Officials said the inspection results reflect ongoing compliance with state and federal standards designed to protect resident health and safety. According to the announcement, the outcome is attributed to staff performance and internal quality practices.
This story was created by Dave DeMille, ddemille@gannett.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct.
Massachusetts
Brian Shortsleeve 'On The Record' about GOP run for governor of Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Massachusetts beach towns better than Cape Cod, per Condé Nast
Essential water safety tips
Learn essential water safety tips to ensure a fun and safe summer for the whole family.
Massachusetts residents love their beach towns.
And Condé Nast Magazine loves two particular beach towns in the Bay State, but surprisingly didn’t pick a beach on Cape Cod.
That’s why the towns were included on the magazine’s 2025 list of the 17 best beach towns on the East Coast.
“Whether you’re looking to lay out on the sand in summer or prefer walking along the water spotting wildlife and collecting rocks, the shores of the East Coast have a little something for everyone,” Condé Nast stated on its website.
Here’s more about the magazine’s favorite beach towns in Massachusetts.
Oak Bluffs ranked No. 5 on the list
Coming in at number 5 is one of the most popular spots on Martha’s Vineyard – Oak Bluffs.
What they said: “The colorful gingerbread houses for which Oak Bluffs is known are straight out of a storybook. Visitors walk straight off their boats into Ocean Park, a circular green overlooking the sea, encircled by said houses, with a frothy, delicate gazebo sitting in the center. Oak Bluffs has a long history of welcoming Black visitors, and today it is home to the annual African-American Film Festival.”
Rockport ranked No. 4 on the list
Rockport is a town on the North Shore of the Bay State.
What they said: “The coastal region is known for its excellent seafood, beautiful beaches, and historic landmarks. Many a good film has been filmed here as well, such as Martin Scorsese’s ‘Shutter Island’ and Kenneth Lonergan’s ‘Manchester-by-the-Sea.’
“Forty miles north of Boston, (Rockport) has a can’t-miss natural gem in Halibut Point State Park, from which visitors can spot Maine in the distance 80 miles away. Rockport is also beloved by art history buffs: it is home to Motif Number 1, a fishing shack with the superlative ‘the most-often painted building in America.’ It was built in 1840, and was a popular subject because it represented New England’s nautical character.”
What other regions of New England are on the list?
According to Condé Nast, they include:
- Bar Harbor, Maine
- Kennebunkport, Maine
- Newport, Rhode Island
- Hampton Beach, New Hampshire
- Madison, Connecticut
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