On Saturday, Oct. 25, the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (CMS) swim & dive team hosted its annual Alumni Swim Meet at Axelrood Pool. As generations collided, partly for competition and partly for a reunion, the strong spirit of CMS athletics emerged.
The alumni meet was a chance for old Stags and Athenas to rekindle bonds, and the teams were arranged by odd and even graduation years, allowing current Stags and Athenas to get to know those who have already walked their paths.
“There were some guys who graduated in the 1990s, and they got to meet some of us as well, which was great,” Alexander Davies CM ’28, a current member of the CMS swim and dive team, said. “We just tried to make the relays as broad as possible, including as many different combinations of people as possible, which made it really enjoyable racing with some people who are the same age as my dad.”
For Thayer Breazeale CM ’24, being back in Claremont did not feel too different from his college days.
“It feels really comfortable,” Breazeale said. “I think we kept a really strong culture of connectedness through the years … we got a big alumni group, we organized ahead of time, got an Airbnb together and so it feels like being back on deck in the past.”
Breazeale, who graduated as the fourth-ranked swimmer in the 200 fly, is one of many alumni who return each year for the meet. For him, it’s not just about getting in a few races but about remembering what made those years so special.
“There are so many great memories,” Breazeale said. “Part of the everyday experience, like showing up and seeing your friends at practice, all culminate together. But then some highlights came from the peak of our training paying off — at nationals, at conferences — which we went undefeated in for my time there.”
He joined the program in 2019, took a gap year during the COVID-19 pandemic, and later had the opportunity to swim alongside his twin brother, Anderson Breazeale CM ’24. One moment he reminisces about to this day is when his teammate and close friend Frank Applebaum CM ’24 broke a Division III national record.
“I remember just jumping up and down with my teammates beside me, cheering him on,” Breazeale said. “That was one of those moments that just sticks forever.”
Davis shared a similar sentiment, explaining that his favorite memory from the meet didn’t actually happen in the pool.
“We got to see [the alumni] and grab dinner with them,” Davies said. “Catching up with everyone, seeing … what career path they’ve branched into, how they figured out fully being an adult was just a really great experience, and it made me feel a little bit more like when I graduate, everything’s gonna be okay.”
Over time, these meets prove to be more and more important for students, building their sense of belonging in the community.
“When I was a freshman, I didn’t really know any of the returning alumni, so it didn’t have as much significance to me,” Davies said. “This year, I was really close with a lot of seniors who’d just graduated, so getting to see them again was honestly kind of emotional.”
Rachel Wander HM ’22 was another alumnus who swam with the students, coaches and alumni.
She was a former breaststroker who ended her career ranked fifth in CMS history in the 100 breaststroke. Wander flew in from New York for the meet, marking her fourth time back as an alum.
“It’s great to be back,” Wander said. “I love the pool. I have so many great memories here. Just jumping in feels great. I’ve got a lot of people that are still here to connect with, and it’s really great to see them, especially because I’m in New York and a lot of them are in California.”
She recalled one meet in particular — her sophomore year at the SCIAC championships — when both the Stags and the Athenas took home trophies.
“That was the first year, and I think actually the only year while I was on the team, where both the Stags and the Athenas won,” Wander said. “The Stags only won by about 13 points. It was really close to the wire down to the end, and it’s just really special when the entire team wins, and you kind of all feel that excitement and joy together.”
For Wander, being part of CMS was about much more than results — it was about the camaraderie that came with being on swim and dive.
“I think for me, being a part of CMS meant being a part of the community,” she said. “I had people to hang out with, we’d get meals together, we’d do parties together, we’d see each other every day. It was really great to feel like a part of a group that is just that strong, cohesive.”
At this year’s meet, that community was easily recognizable. Alumni mingled with current athletes and coaches, trading stories about old practices, cheering each other on and teasing each other with jokes.
As the afternoon wrapped up, swimmers stayed on deck to catch up with coaches, some already planning next year’s reunion. For CMS, the alumni meet remains one of the most well-attended and respected traditions on the calendar, reminding students and alumni alike of the deep connections that run between generations of swimmers.
When Davies was asked if he pictured himself returning for a future alumni meet, he didn’t hesitate.
“A hundred percent,” Davies said. “Even just to see my friends, but also to keep that tradition going so the younger swimmers want to come back as well. Seeing them all come back this year has made me want to come back, and I think that’s a trend that’s going to continue.”
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