DENVER – The University of Denver men's and women's swimming and diving programs opened the calendar year 2026 with a sweep of the Colorado School of Mines on Friday afternoon in El Pomar Natatorium.
 
Team Scores:
Men's:
Denver: 190
Colorado School of Mines: 49
 
Women's:
Denver: 189
Colorado School of Mines: 47
 
Event Winners:
Women's 1-Meter – Savanna Berry – 279.23 - NCAA Zone Cut
Men's 1-Meter – Dakotah Parker – 325.05 – NCAA Zone Cut
Women's 3-Meter – Savanna Berry – 291.38 - NCAA Zone Cut
Men's 3-Meter – Dakotah Parker – 336.15 – NCAA Zone Cut
Women's 200 Medley Relay – Ali Beay, Tenaya Winter, Julia Saxman, Isabella Cardenas – 1:40.59
Men's 200 Medley Relay – Liam Simmons, Kito Campbell, Hamish McLellan, Luke Milburn – 1:28.55
Women's 1000 Free – Genevieve Franklin – 10:20.85
Men's 1000 Free – Finn Holdredge – 9:37.28
Women's 200 Free – Sabrina Rachjaibun – 1:51.48
Men's 200 Free – Dylan Mes – 1:39.40
Women's 50 Free – Julia Saxman – 23.32
Men's 50 Free – Tommy Hancock – 20.72
Women's 200 IM – Samantha Synsvoll – 2:04.98
Men's 200 IM – Nico Morton – 1:50.50
Women's 200 Fly – Sabrina Rachjaibun – 2:04.90
Men's 200 Fly – Gabe Jones – 1:50.90
Women's 100 Free – Isabela Cardenas – 50.91
Men's 100 Free – Hamish McLellan – 44.33
Women's 200 Back – Darian Koler – 2:02.36
Men's 200 Back – Quinn Collins – 1:49.18
Women's 500 Free – Samantha Synsvoll – 5:05.24
Men's 500 Free – Finn Holdredge – 4:40.27
Women's 200 Breast – Peyton Mullowney – 2:17.39
Men's 200 Breast – Kito Campbell – 2:02.66
Women's 400 Free Relay – Tenaya Winter, Isabella Cardenas, Izzy Burton, Julia Saxman – 3:27.62
Men's 400 Free Relay – Hamish McLellan, Tommy Hancock, Luke Milburn, Benjamin Stone – 3:00.68
 
How it Happened:
Friday's meet opened with diving. On the women's side, Savanna Berry swept the two events with scores of 279.23 in the 1-meter and 291.38 in the 3-meter. Dakotah Parker took both of the men's events, scoring 325.05 in the 1-meter and 336.15 in the 3-meter. Berry's scores were her first NCAA Zone Cuts of the year on both of events, while Parker earned his first NCAA Zone Cut on the 3-meter board. Trip Gregory got his first NCAA Zone Cut on the 1-meter, while Tatum Brasfield earned her first NCAA Zone Cut on the 1-meter board. 
 
Denver opened the swimming portion of the meet when Ali Beay, Tenaya Winter, Julia Saxman and Isabella Cardenas combined for a time of 1:40.59 in the women's 200 medley relay. On the men's side, Liam Simmons, Kito Campbell, Hamish McLellan and Luke Milburn turned in a time of 1:28.55.
 
To the first individual swim of the afternoon, Genevieve Franklin women's the women's 1000 free with a time of 10:25.85, edging out teammate Paige Reilly's time of 10:31.61.
 
In the men's distance race, Finn Holdredge outswam teammate Max O'Neil with his time of 9:37.28 to take the top spot in the men's 1000.
 
Sabrina Rachjaibun led a group of three Pioneers that finished in the top four of the women's 200 free with her time of 1:51.48. Winter took second in 1:51.88 and Sienna Nitke clocked in at 1:55.42 to take fourth.
 
Dylan Mes and Pierce Bickerton earned a 1-2 in the men's 200 free with times of 1:39.40 and 1:39.81, respectively.
 
In the first sprint of the afternoon, Saxman won the 50 free with a 23.32, dropping 0.62 seconds off her time. Beay grabbed second in 24.17. On the men's side, Tommy Hancock led a podium sweep for the Pioneers with his time of 20.72. Benjamin Stone took second in 21.00 and Luke Milbrun grabbed third in 21.08.
 
Samanta Synsvoll and Lilly Zippel earned a 1-2 in the women's 200 IM with times of2:04.98 and 2:05.90. Denver men's took the top four spots in the men's 200 IM. Nico Morton turned in a 1:50.50 to lead the back, Noah Laird grabbed second in 1:51.43, Cota Clise took third in 1:54.63 and Ian O'Neil recorded a 1:56.36 to finish fourth.
 
Rachjaibun got her second win of the afternoon in the women's 200 fly, earning a 2:04.90 in the event to take the top spot. Denver's men were led in the event by Gabe Jones, who reached the wall in 1:50.90. Ian O'Neil took second in 1:53.63 and Brandon Saeedi took fourth in 1:57.49.
 
Cardenas led another Denver 1-2, this time in the 100 free with her time of 50.91. Izzy Burton recorded a 52.68 to finish second. McLellan and Hancock swam the 100 in 44.33 and 45.26, respectively to earn the top two spots for the Pioneer men.
 
Denver's women earned the top four spots in the women's 200 back. Darian Koler won the race with a 2:02.36, Zippel grabbed second in 2:04.39, Mina Ada Solaker finished third in 2:06.83 and Maria Delmonte rounded out the quartet with a fourth-place finish in 2:08.10.
 
The Pioneer men swept the top five spots in the 200 back. Collins took first in 1:49.18, Morton took second right behind him in 1:49.96, Mason Bruhn rounded out the podium places in 1:51.12.
 
Synsvoll led a Denver podium sweep in the 500 free with her time of 5:05.24. Nika Spehar finished second in 5:07.59 and Franklin took third in 5:11.49. Holdredge completed the distance event sweep with his time of 4:40.27 to take the event title.
 
Peyton Mullowney earned her first win of the afternoon in the 200 breast, outswimming the field with a 2:17.39. Campbell led a men's podium sweep with his time of 2:02.66 in the 200 breast. Clise turned in a 2:02.82 to take second and Max Roslin finished third in 2:03.76.
 
The meet wrapped up with Denver's sweep of the 400 free relay. Denver's women's team of Winter, Cardenas, Burton and Saxman finished in 3:27.62 and McLellan, Hancock Milburn and Stone swam the event in 3:00.68.  
 
Up Next:
Denver's men's and women's programs will return to action next weekend for a pair of duals in El Pomar Natatorium. On January 9, Denver's women will welcome New Mexico while the Pioneer men host Utah (Dive 12 p.m./Swim 2 p.m. MT). A day later, the Pioneers will welcome BYU's men's and women's programs to El Pomar. Start times on January 10 are set for diving to begin at 10 a.m. MT and swimming to start at 12 p.m. MT.
 
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