SOMERS, WI -- The University of Delaware men’s swimming and diving team ended the regular season ranked 17th among all Division I Mid-Major programs in a poll conducted by CollegeSwimming.com.

The rankings are based on each team's best dual meet lineup as judged and submitted by participating teams. The Hens were also in the top-25 in the original poll announced on November 14 as well as the post-invitational rankings released on December 20. The final post-conference poll will be made available on March 6.

The Blue Hen men currently sport an 11-3 record, including a 4-1 mark in the Colonial Athletic Association. Their 11 regular season wins equaled the single-season program mark set by the 1965-66 and 1977-78 teams.

The Delaware men are led by senior Andrew Zinn, who earned conference Swimmer of the Week accolades three times during the year. On the season, he has won 33 competitions, including 19 individual events.

Of his victories, two set pool records as he broke the 50-yard freestyle mark in both Delaware's Rawstrom Natatorium and William & Mary's Recreation Center. He also set the school record in the event on three separate occasions, with the final one against Towson when he cruised to a time of 20.44.

Among conference swimmers, Zinn and teammate Grady Carter hold the fastest two times in the 50-freestyle. Zinn also holds the third best mark in the 100-freestyle, while Matt Wehrman (above) ranks third in the 1000-yard event. John Ohlhaver also currently has the fifth best time in the 200-backstroke and the sixth best mark in the 100-yard discipline.

The Blue Hen relay teams have also had strong seasons during the 2007-08 campaign, as Delaware has posted top-five times in the conference in the 200- and 400-yard freestyle relay events as well as the 200-yard medley relay.

Diver Matt Abbruzzese has had a great season as well, notching the fifth-best score among conference performers in both the 1- and 3-meter dives.

In the CollegeSwimming.com rankings, Harvard was the top-ranked men’s team, earning 200.75 points. Princeton finished second, while Denver, Western Kentucky, and Missouri State rounded out the top-five.

Fellow CAA members Drexel, Towson, UNC-Wilmington, and Old Dominion also earned top-25 rankings. The Dragons are the only team ranked above Delaware, sitting one spot ahead of the Hens in 16th place.

The Delaware swimming and diving teams will return to the pool on February 27-March 1 at George Mason for the CAA Championship meet.

AGATE:

2007-08 CollegeSwimming.com Men’s National Mid-Major Rankings: 1. Harvard; 2. Princeton; 3. Denver; 4. Western Kentucky; 5. Missouri State; 6. Navy; 7. Wright State; 8. Massachusetts; 9. UC-Irvine; 10. UMBC; 11. UW-Milwaukee; 12. Cornell; 13. Cleveland State; 14. Binghamton; 15. Army; 16. Drexel; 17. Delaware; 18. Cal Poly; 19. Towson; 20. Saint Bonaventure; 21. UNC-Wilmington; 22. Bucknell; 23. Rider; 24. Old Dominion; 25. Saint Louis.