GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (February 15, 2025) – The University of Texas Permian Basin men's and women's swimming & diving teams closed the 2025 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championship on Saturday at the El Pomar Natatorium.

Throughout five days of competition, the UTPB men's team finished fifth out of six teams. The Falcons put up 322 points and led sixth-place Adams State University (157 points) by 165 points. Colorado Mesa University won its seventh straight and ninth overall RMAC Championship on the men's side with 1,104 points. Colorado School of Mines (816.50 points), Simon Frazier University (616 points) and Oklahoma Christian University (539.50 points) rounded out the top-four.

The UTPB women totaled 282 points and finished eighth out of nine teams, 126 points in front of ninth-place Adams State (156 points). Colorado Mesa won its also won its seventh-straight conference title on the women's side with 1,939 points, a whopping 745 points ahead of second-place Simon Frazier University with 1,194 points.

Rowan McWhorter started the day with a 17th-place time of 53.66 seconds in the 100 freestyle prelims before later finishing 21st in the C Final with a time of 54.03 seconds. In the men's 100 freestyle, Colin Doyle (47.32 prelims, 47.16 finals) was 12th and Owen Ward (47.89 prelims, 48.26 finals) was 16th in both the prelims and the B Final.

In the men's 200 back, Avin Ward (1:54:65) and Daniel Bednarski (1:55.81) finished back-to-back in 13th and 14th place in the prelims while Legend Jankowski (1:56.87) and Zane Garner (1:5854) were the alternates in 17th and 18th place, respectively. Then in the finals, A. Ward remained in 13th place with a time of 1:54.20 while Jankowski took Garner's place in the B Final and finished 14th with a time of 1:54.87.

In the prelims of the men's 200 breaststroke, Nathan Powell was 12th with a time of 2:09.18 while Chase Alderman was 15th at 2:10.95. Then in the B Final, both men moved up one spot, Powell taking 11th with a time of 2:08.02 and Alderman taking 14th at 2:10.49.

In the 1650 freestyle, Olivia Blackman was 21st with a time of 19:55.44 on the women's side. On the men's side, Evan Siegrist was sixth with an adjusted NCAA Division II National "B" cut time of 16:08.22 while Ivan Torres Lopez was 11th with a time of 16:50.35.

In the men's 1-meter diving competition, Brendan Twomey was fourth in both the prelims and the finals with scores of 395.25 and 382.35, respectively. It was his second Second-Team All-RMAC performance of the meet as a freshman.

The final event was the 400 freestyle relay. Despite competing earlier in the day, the UTPB women (Blackman, Ana Cardenas, Emma Gerhart, McWhorter) were seventh with a time of 3:42.69. The "A" team for the UTPB men (Torres Lopez, O. Ward, Doyle, Bednarski) competed in the championship heat and took fifth place with a time of 3:08.22.

Words from Head Coach Brian Schroeder: "We had a lot of good swims with season and personal best times. We consistently had people getting sick, but had others step up to help out. The team really bonded and I am proud of what they accomplished."

Senior Recognition Ceremony: Before the final session on Saturday, the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference recognized the seniors competing at the championship. Members of the UTPB men's and women's swimming & diving teams that were recognized included: Kathe Hepfer, Ana Cardenas, Olivia Blackman, Daniel Bednarski, Leo Eleftherakis, Szymon Gilzynski, Legend Jankowski, Nathan Powell, Evan Siegrist and Ivan Torres Lopez.
 

Men's All-RMAC Performances (Top-4):
1-meter diving – fourth place – Brendan Twomey – 382.35
 
Men's A Finalists: (Top-8):
1650 freestyle – sixth place – Evan Siegrist – 16:08.22
1-meter diving – fifth place – Taven Wilson-Kadrmas – 308.95
400 freestyle relay – fifth place – UTPB "A" team (Ivan Torres Lopez, Owen Ward, Colin Doyle, Daniel Bednarski) – 3:08.22
 
Men's B Finalists: (Top-16):
1650 freestyle – 11th place – Ivan Torres Lopez – 16:50.35
100 freestyle – 12th place – Colin Doyle – 47.16
100 freestyle – 16th place – Owen Ward – 48.26
200 backstroke – 13th place – Avin Ward – 1:54.20
200 backstroke – 14th place – Legend Jankowski – 1:54.87
200 breaststroke – 11th place – Nathan Powell – 2:08.02
200 breaststroke – 14th place – Chase Alderman – 2:10.49
400 freestyle relay – 12th place – UTPB "B" team (Nathan Powell, Tommy Betancour, Brannan Espericueta, Leo Eleftherakis) – 3:10.84
 
Women's A Finalists: (Top-8):
400 freestyle relay – seventh place – UTPB "A" team (Olivia Blackman, Ana Cardenas, Emma Gerhart, Rowan McWhorter) – 3:42.69
 

Day Five Results
Full Meet Results