MIDLAND, Texas (November 3, 2024) – Competing in their only home meet of the season, The University of Texas Permian Basin men's and women's swimming & diving teams hosted NCAA Division III Trinity University on Senior Day at COM Aquatics. By the end of the meet, the UTPB men's team defeated Trinity by a close score of 169-127 while the women's team fell to the No. 18-ranked Tigers 230-61.

On the men's side, UTPB finished with 12 individual victories in the meet while also securing 13 other second- and third-place performances.

Colin Doyle led the Falcons with three individual wins: 100 backstroke (54.11), 50 freestyle (21.71), and 100 butterfly (53.02).

Jake Shelton won both the 200 freestyle (1:42.00) and the 500 freestyle (4:42.16) and was second in the 50 freestyle (21.94).

Evan Siegrist won the 1000 freestyle (10:13.54), was second in the 200 butterfly (2:00.15), and was third in the 500 freestyle (4:55.64).

Legend Jankowski won the 200 backstroke (1:59.97) and was third in the 100 backstroke (55.03) and Owen Putnam won the 200 butterfly (1:56.23) and was second in the 200 IM (1:59.04).

Zane Garner was second in the 100 backstroke (54.74) and third in the 200 backstroke (2:01.12) and Szymon Gilzynski was second in the 100 butterfly (53.28) and was third in the 100 freestyle (49.34).

Brendan Twomey won the 1-meter dive with a score of 249.15 and the 3-meter with 241.40 points.

On the women's side, it was the Tigers who won all 14 swimming events while the Falcons took the top two spots in both diving competitions. UTPB also finished in second or third place in an event on 10 occasions.

Rowan McWhorter earned a pair of second-place finishes in the 100 breaststroke (1:11.29) and the 200 IM (2:17.08) and was third in the 200 backstroke (2:20.60).

Emma Gerhart was third in both the 200 butterfly (2:28.20) and the 100 butterfly (1:05.55).

Kathe Hepfer won the 1-meter dive (253.70) while Camilla Aguilar won the 3-meter dive (269.70).
 
Men's Top-Three Finishes:
200 medley relay – first place – UTPB "A" team – 1:36.77
1000 freestyle – first place – Evan Siegrist – 10:13.54
1000 freestyle – third place – Avin Ward – 10:33.32
200 freestyle – first place – Jake Shelton – 1:42.00
100 backstroke – first place – Colin Doyle – 54.11
100 backstroke – second place – Zane Garner – 54.74
100 backstroke – third place – Legend Jankowski – 55.03
100 breaststroke – second place – Nathan Powell – 1:00.68
200 butterfly – first place – Owen Putnam – 1:56.23
200 butterfly – second place – Evan Siegrist – 2:00.15
50 freestyle – first place – Colin Doyle – 21.71
50 freestyle – second place – Jake Shelton – 21.94
1-meter diving – first place – Brendan Twomey – 249.15
1-meter diving – third place – Andrew Pritt – 215.00
100 freestyle – third place – Szymon Gilzynski – 49.34
200 backstroke – first place – Legend Jankowski – 1:59.97
200 backstroke – third place – Zane Garner – 2:01.12
500 freestyle – first place – Jake Shelton – 4:42.16
500 freestyle – third place – Evan Siegrist – 4:55.64
100 butterfly – first place – Colin Doyle – 53.02
100 butterfly – second place – Szymon Gilzynski – 53.28
3-meter diving – first place – Brendan Twomey – 241.40
3-meter diving – third place – Andrew Pritt – 215.05
200 IM – second place – Owen Putnam – 1:59.04
200 freestyle relay – first place – UTPB "A" team – 1:27.63
 
Women's Top-Three Finishes:
200 medley relay – third place – UTPB "A" team – 2:02.93
1000 freestyle – third place – Olivia Blackman – 12:40.28
100 breaststroke – second place – Rowan McWhorter – 1:11.29
200 butterfly – third place – Emma Gerhart – 2:28.20
1-meter diving – first place – Kathe Hepfer – 253.70
1-meter diving – second place – Camilla Aguilar – 227.95
200 backstroke – third place – Rowan McWhorter – 2:20.60
100 butterfly – third place – Emma Gerhart – 1:05.55
3-meter diving – first place – Camilla Aguilar – 269.70
3-meter diving – second place – Kathe Hepfer – 244.50
200 IM – second place – Rowan McWhorter – 2:17.08
200 freestyle relay – third place – UTPB "A" team – 2:04.75
 
Senior Day Recap:
Daniel Bednarski is a four-year team member and Senior Captain from Bel Air, Maryland. His favorite memory at UTPB is hanging out with the team. An accounting major, Daniel's plans after graduation are to secure a job in the accounting field and find a new hobby.

Olivia Blackman is a four-year team member and Senior Captain from Katy, Texas. Her favorite memory from UTPB is coming back and winning the mile at the CC Classic Invite in January by 0.01 of a second and hearing everyone go crazy when she finished. She said that the excitement across the pool that day reminded her why she truly loves the sport. A pre-professional biology major with a minor in chemistry, Olivia's plans after graduation are to attend Veterinary School in the Fall of 2025 at one of the six colleges she has applied for.

Ana Cardenas is a four-year team member from Mexico City, Mexico. Her favorite memories from UTPB are the meets with her teammates and the get-togethers. A kinesiology major, Ana's plans after graduation are to go to Physical Therapy School, and being able to work while doing so.

Leo Eleftherakis is a four-year team member from Thessaloniki, Greece. His favorite memories at UTPB are eating breakfast after morning practice and winning the team's midseason meet against Trinity. A biomechanics major, Leo's plans after graduation are to coach swimming at the collegiate level.

Szymon Gilzynski is a three-year team member from Olawa, Poland. His favorite memory at UTPB is breaking the school record in the 100 fly during the competition in Colorado his junior year. A mechanical engineering major, Szymon's plans after graduation are to go back to his hometown and after that, try to see as many countries as possible.

Kathe Hepfer is a four-year team member, diver and Senior Captain from Midland, Texas. Her favorite memories from UTPB are the family atmosphere and traveling to meets. Her favorite meet was when the divers went to Florida her sophomore year. A mechanical engineering major, Kathe's plans after graduation are to get a job in engineering with interest in the design portion.

Legend Jankowski is a four-year team member from Midland, Texas. His favorite memories from UTPB are winning the 200 back at his first college meet and when the team's bus broke down and we started playing baseball at the rest stop with sticks from a tree. An exercise science major, Legend's plans after graduation are to become a college coach or continue to coach club teams.

Nathan Powell is a two-year team member from Fort Mill, South Carolina. His favorite memory from UTPB is the RMAC Conference meet last year and seeing the energy on the last session when the team was swimming our races for the last time that season. An electrical engineering major, Nathan's plans after graduation are to work as a Control System Engineer for Bechtel in Richland, Washington, and helping to destroy nuclear waste.

Evan Siegrist is a five-year team member and Senior Captain from Houston, Texas. His favorite memory from UTPB is the 2024 RMAC Conference Meet. A Masters of Business Administration (MBA) graduate student, Evan's plans after graduation are to pursue a CPA and work in public accounting.

Ivan Torres Lopez is a four-year team member from Katy, Texas. His favorite memory at UTPB is winning midseason his sophomore year. A mechanical engineering major, Ivan's plans after graduation are to get a job in engineering or to pursue his Master's Degree.
 
A Familiar Face On The Other Side
The Trinity University Swimming & Diving programs have added Assistant Coach George Black to the coaching staff for the 2024-25 season.

Coach Black comes to Trinity from The University of Texas Permian Basin, where he spent time as both a swimmer and a coach. He earned a Bachelor of Kinesiology: Exercise Science degree from UTPB, and was also on the swimming and diving team. Georges' primary events were the 200 breaststroke and the 400 individual medley.

George spent the last three seasons as an assistant coach of UTPB where he successfully coached the Falcons' first female athlete to reach the NCAA Championship during the 2023 season. In addition to being a swimming coach at UT Permian Basin, George was also the Aquatics Director. Coach Black also spent time as a counselor and a coach for the University of Texas - Austin Swimming team.
 
Next Up
After starting the month by hosting Trinity on Saturday, UTPB will end the month at Trinity for the Tiger Invitational from November 22-24 in San Antonio, Texas.
 
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