The Brock Badgers men's swimming team has retooled for the upcoming season. 

With the signings of Jared Banta, Jackson Bates, Camren Courchene-Carter, Lucas Moavro, Zac Monminie, Benjamin Schell, Evan Thomas and Daniel Zaki, head coach Dave Ling has an infusion of young talent. 

The announcement was made official on Friday, Oct. 18.  

"Our men's team slid back a spot in conference last year to finish seventh and there is a strong motivation to improve on that finish this season. We have recruited a class full of good young men ready to improve and represent Brock well. Camren Courchene-Carter headlines our class as a Day 1 U SPORTS qualifier and he will be joined by a deep group ready to contribute big points at the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) level and eventually U SPORTS as well." 

Banta brings experience from both the Brock Niagara Aquatics program led by Ling, and nationally, competing at the Paris Olympic Trials in the 800-metre freestyle event.  

"I chose to attend Brock because I knew it would be a great place to do an undergraduate degree," Banta said. "As someone who wants to do both a master's degree and PhD later on in life, I knew Brock would set me up with what I needed to achieve my academic goals."

The Beamsville, ON product plans to study Chemistry at the University. 



Bates swam for 10 years for the Windsor Aquatic Club.

This past summer, the incoming Sport Management major competed at the Ontario Summer Championships in five different events.

"I was really drawn in during my visit," Bates said. "I loved the team and the campus, and I know that Coach Dave has so much experience coaching great swimmers that he can help the team grow and do special things."

Courchene-Carter is another graduate of the Brock Niagara Aquatics program and another swimmer who competed at the Olympic Trials. The incoming English Literature major set a personal best in the 200-metre breaststroke (long course meters) with a time of two minutes, 26 seconds and 83 milliseconds, placing sixth in the junior category. 

The local St. Catharines native has already qualified for the U SPORTS Championship with his personal-best time of 28.47 in the 50m breaststroke.

At the 2023 North American Indigenous Games (NAIG), Courchene-Carter excelled, winning an impressive eight gold medals and one silver.

"The best part about being a Brock Badger is the highly competitive environment and the desire to be a better team each year," Courchene-Carter said. "I think the people I will be working with will be able to take me to another level as I potentially try to medal at the U SPORTS level." 

Moavro comes in with experience as a member of the Windsor Aquatics Club from 2017-2024. 

The Kingsville, ON product also qualified for the Olympic Trials this past summer.

"When visiting Brock, I really enjoyed the atmosphere of the team and school," Moavro said. "I'm excited to push everyone in practice and become better as a group."  

Moavro plans to study Computer Science at the University. 

Monominie is another Kinsgville, ON native who swam at the club level with the Leamington Lasers.

During his time with the Lasers, he qualified for the Canadian Swimming Championships. 

"I love the Brock campus and the people," Monminie said. "The Kinesiology program I want to go into is also really good." 

Schell comes from up north in Sudbury, ON and brings experience at the club level for seven years with the Sudbury Laurentian Swim Club, and at the 2024 Ontario Summer Championships, he competed in five different events.

He was another member of the North American Indigenous Games team alongside Courchene-Carter and Thomas; two other Brock recruits.

"The Brock swim team and the Chemistry program were very intriguing," Schell said. "I'm looking forward to swimming with friends and constantly improving." 

Thomas was a member of Team Ontario at the 2024 NAIG where he earned five gold medals and four silvers. He set NAIG records in the 100m butterfly (57.43) and 200m freestyle (1:57.74).  

In the winter of 2023 and the summer of 2024, Thomas medalled at the Ontario Youth Junior Championships. 

"The coach, Dave Ling, gave me the confidence that when I come here, he has a plan for each and every one of his swimmers and are all going to be pursued differently on their path," Thomas said. "The swimmers and everyone I met gave me the confidence that I will be constantly being pushed in practice to get my goal and all while having fun and smiling and laughing." 

Zaki swam for the Golden Horseshoe Aquatic Club for two years in the senior performance group.

He highlighted his time there with back-to-back gold medal winning performances in the 200m IM and 400m IM at the Ontario Youth Junior Championships and Winter Ontario Youth Junior Championships. 

"I chose to attend Brock University because I like the Medical Science program and the environment," Zaki said. "This coming season, I'm looking forward to most meeting new people as well as improving myself as a person going through the tribulations of practices as well as competitions."

The Badgers begin their season at the OUA Sprint Invitational hosted by the Guelph Gryphons in Guelph on Saturday, Oct. 19.