WASHINGTON, D.C. – The St. Bonaventure men's swimming and diving team has been selected third out of seven programs in the 2026-27 Atlantic 10 Preseason Poll, while the women's team has been selected seventh out of 10 programs, conference officials announced Monday.
 
Bona's men's team secured its top-three ranking in the poll with 36 points. George Washington was selected first with 49 points, sweeping the first-place votes, and George Mason earned second place with 38 points. Following SBU were Davidson (26), La Salle (24), Fordham (12) and Saint Louis (11).
 
On the women's side, the Bonnies earned 40 points behind Richmond (94), George Washington (87), Duquesne (85), Fordham (66), La Salle (53) and George Mason (43). Filling out the poll behind SBU were Rhode Island (36), Davidson (32) and Saint Louis (14).
 
St. Bonaventure enters the 2026-27 campaign under new leadership from three fresh faces on the coaching staff.
 
Alec Kandt begins his first year at the helm of the program as head swimming and diving coach after a successful stint as an assistant at Southern Illinois. While there, he coached three future Olympians while guiding the women's program to a second-place finish at the 2026 Missouri Valley Conference Championships. He also brings experience from two Southeastern Conference contenders, having served on staff at Arkansas for three seasons, also having helped lead Florida's men's team to an SEC title in 2018.
 
Joining Kandt as assistant swimming and diving coach is Colby Clark, who most recently served on staff at Utah Tech for three seasons, guiding eight swimmers to individual school records and helping to produce multiple finalist finishes at the United Athletic Conference and Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championship meets.
 
Rounding out Bona's 2026-27 leadership is head diving coach Kongrong Li. The California native most recently commanded divers at James Madison, contributing to back-to-back Sun Belt titles for the women's program in 2024 and 2025.
 
The Bonnies return some top talent from last year's men's squad which placed third at the A10 Championships in Hampton, Va.
 
Kevyn Collazo Torres enters his senior season following a prosperous performance at last year's conference championships, where he earned a bronze medal in the 400-IM (3:53.27). Joining him are junior Mark Mizsei, who posted a new school record with a bronze medal in the 200-fly (1:44.33) at the championship meet, and sophomore Emanuele Zingaro, who set another program record in Hampton after clocking in at 19.71 in the 50-free.
 
Bona's women's squad returns three swimmers from a 200-medley relay team which set a new program record (1:40.24) and contributed to a sixth-place finish overall at the 2026 A10 Championships. Sophomores Sophia Baker, Isabella Giupatto and Kate Hill, each of whom rejoin the roster this season, helped reach that pace alongside the graduated Paris Christie.
 
The Bonnies are set to open the 2026-27 season this weekend at the Rutgers Invitational in Piscataway, N.J. Both the men and women will be competing against Army, Boston College, Fordham, Northeastern and the hosts, Rutgers.
 
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