NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. – The TCNJ Men's swimming and diving team kicked off the 2023 Metropolitan Conference Championships with a statement win in the 800 Freestyle Relay on Thursday afternoon.

Already having clinched a 'B-Cut' mark for the event on the season, the reigning champion Lions ramped up the pace in the weekend's first race. The quartet of Gavin Formon, Brian Bull, Lukas Blach and James McChesney clocked a season-best time of 6:38.22 to edge out conference rival Rowan by over a second for the top spot. The time also represented a top-five mark in program history, as well as a top-ten time in all of Division III so far this season.

The Lions trailed Rowan early on in the race, holding the runner-up position after the freshman duo of Formon and Bull opened up the first two legs to maintain only a two second deficit to the Profs. A strong third leg by Blach shifted the momentum towards the Lions as the sophomore cut Rowan's lead by a full second. McChesney carried the Lions home as the anchor, with the Junior completely eating away the Profs' lead in the first half of the leg before pulling away in the final laps.

The Lions will resume competition in the pool with prelims set to begin at 9:30 am and the finals session starting later in the day at 5:30 pm. Events in the pool are the 200 free relay, 500 free, 200 IM, 50 free and 400 medley relay. Action on the boards will also kickoff with the men's 1-meter 11 dives at approximately 1:15 pm.