Regis Rewind: All Kiet Luong Did Was Win
WESTON, Mass. – Starting in the 2013-14 academic year, Kiet Luong made the relatively short trip west from Malden, Mass., to Regis College. Luong left Regis with the most individual conference titles in program history, plus he still holds eight individual school records and is a part of the Pride record in all five relays.
Luong was a perfect 16-for-16 in GNAC individual finals, starting as a freshman with victories in the 100 butterfly and all three backstroke events, setting GNAC records in those three backstroke competitions. He also led off the 400 freestyle relay to a conference win, the first of seven GNAC relay titles for Luong. He capped his first collegiate year by winning the 200 butterfly at the 2014 NEISDA Championships along with a second place finish in the 100 butterfly and a third place finish in the 100 backstroke.
As a sophomore, Luong again won all four individual events he entered at the GNAC Championships, touching the wall first in the 200 individual medley, 50 butterfly (GNAC record), 100 backstroke, and 200 butterfly, winning that event by almost 10 full seconds and cutting 7.28 seconds off the GNAC record. He also assisted his Pride teammates in setting new GNAC records in the 400 medley relay and 800 freestyle relay. At the 2015 NEISDA Championships, he picked up his second career New England title, this time winning the 100 butterfly.
Luong starred in the 2015-16 GNAC meet by breaking the league records and winning the 100 butterfly, 200 backstroke, 100 individual medley, and 50 backstroke, plus he led off the victorious 200 medley relay and 400 freestyle relay to conference records. Regis scored 240 points at that GNAC meet, the most in program history, as the team finished in second place for the second straight year.
Thanks in large part to Luong, the Pride would also enjoy their best-ever finish at the 2016 NEISDA Championships, ending up in fourth place with 398 points. Luong repeated as New England champion in the 100 butterfly, plus he also touched the wall first in the 100 backstroke.
In 2016-17, Luong began his final GNAC competition by leading off the 200 freestyle relay to victory and a new meet record. He won the 200 individual medley by almost 11 full seconds, setting a GNAC record in the process, and broke his own league mark in winning the 50 butterfly. Luong led off the 200 medley relay to a comfortable win, and then he finished first in the 400 individual medley and 50 backstroke, breaking GNAC records in both events.
At the 2017 NEISDA Championships, Luong won the 100 butterfly for the third straight year, plus he finished second in the 100 backstroke and third in the 200 butterfly. Besides the eight school individual records he currently holds (50-100-200 butterfly, 50-100-200 backstroke, 100-200 IM), Luong is second on the all-time list in the 400 individual medley, fourth in both the 50 freestyle and 200 freestyle, and fifth in the 100 freestyle.
"I had a wonderful four years being a student-athlete at Regis College. I am thankful that I had the opportunity to work with Coach James Sweeney and many of my teammates, including Cassidy Bastianelli, Alex Graf, Nick Rainville, Mike Bruno, Rob Ekberg, Bryan Johnson, and other talented individuals. I am grateful for my education and all the faculty and staff that I've crossed paths with," Luong said.
After receiving his bachelor's degree in health and fitness studies from Regis in 2017, Luong earned his master's degree in sports management from Mount St. Mary's University in 2019. He is currently pursuing his doctorate in physical therapy at the University of Maryland.