A memorable boys’ swim season continued to be more unforgettable at Bridgewater-Raritan High School.
Jaden Lee, a senior and the leader of a very gifted group of boys' swimmers at Bridgewater-Raritan High School, was honored by being named NJ.com's New Jersey State Boys’ Swimmer of the Year for the 2025-2026 season.
Lee was a three-time gold medalist at the state Meet of Champions on Sunday, March 1, at Gloucester County Institute of Technology in Sewell.
He won the 200 individual medley in 1:49. 42, and he joined Chris Wasko, Lee, Marvellous Suciayahdi, and Aaron Roy, who teamed up to set a state Meet of Champions record and school record, swimming to a 1:31.02 to win the 200 medley relay.
His third gold medal came when he, Wasko, Roy and Gregory Rydberg won the 400 freestyle relay, setting a state championship record of 3:03.64.
During this spectacular season, Lee sparked a Bridgewater-Raritan team to the No. 1 ranking in New Jersey and a 12-0 record.
The season was capped when Bridgewater-Raritan dominated its Somerset County rival, fourth-ranked Hillsborough High School, 108-62, to win the Group A state championship on Wednesday, February 25, at the Neptune Aquatic Center.
The state championship for the Bridgewater-Raritan boys’ team was the fifth in the program’s history and first since 2018.
At the same time, on February 25, in that same pool located in the Neptune Aquatic Center, the third-ranked Bridgewater-Raritan girls’ team made it a sweep when it defeated No. 10 Cherry Hill High School East, 102.5-67.5, in the Group A state double dual meet. That was the sixth state title and first since 2019 for the Bridgewater-Raritan girls’ program.
The man who was privileged to have a front-row seat to Lee's four-year career was Evan Seavey, the Bridgewater-Raritan boys’ swim coach.
“Jaden's impact on our swim program over the past four years has been immeasurable. He is a fantastic role model who sets the tone for how each team member should carry themselves, both in and out of the pool,” Coach Seavey said.
Coach Seavey continued his admiration of Lee.
“He celebrates his teammates' accomplishments just as much as his own. He was always the first person to encourage his teammates when they needed that extra boost or console them if they were not happy with a result. I know that everyone on the team had the utmost respect for Jaden and will miss him next year. However, we are all so excited to see what he accomplishes at the next level.”
The next level is the United States Military Academy at West Point.