IOWA CITY – The University of Denver men's and women's swimming and diving programs both extended their leads towards defending their Summit League crowns on Thursday night inside the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center at the University of Iowa.
 
Women's Team Scores (Top-3) – Through Event 16 of 42
Denver - 408
South Dakota - 290
Omaha - 233
 
Men's Team Scores (Top-3) – Through Event 16 of 42
Denver – 312
South Dakota – 268
Omaha – 238


Thursday Night Event Winners
Women's 500 Free – Sabrina Rachjaibun – 4:49.40
Women's 200 IM - Samantha Synsvoll – 2:00.13
Men's 200 IM – Nico Morton – 1:47.44
Women's 50 Free – Julia Saxman – 22.75
Women's 1-Meter Dive – Savanna Berry – 261.25
Women's 200 Free Relay – Julia Saxman, Tenaya Winter, Ali Beay, Isa Cardenas – 1:31.31
 
Thursday Night Top-10 Times
Women's 200 IM – Samantha Synsvoll – 2:00.13 – 5^th in DU history
Men's 200 IM – Nico Morton - 1:47.44 – Improved on his 8^th best time in DU history 
Women's 50 Free – Julia Saxman – 22.75 – 6^th in DU History
Men's 50 Free – Hamish McLellan – 19.85 – 6^th in DU History
 
How it Happened:
Denver opened night two with a win in the women's 500 free, as Sabrina Rachjaibun got to the wall first with a time of 4:49.40. Genevieve Franklin clocked in at 4:57.57 to take fourth. Paige Reilly also swam in the A-Final, taking sixth with a time of 5:00.51. Nika Spehar won the women's 500 B-Final with her time of 5:00.84.
 
The Pioneer men brought home a boatload of points, taking spots 2-5 in the race. Pierce Bickerton led the Denver men with a time of 4:25.15, Dylan Mes clocked in at 4:26.02 to take third, Kurt Owens grabbed fourth in 4:28.88 and Finn Holdredge rounded out the Denver quartet in fifth with a time of 4:30.25.
 
Samantha Synsvoll moved up three more spots in the record book after her time in the prelims on Thursday morning, finding herself in fifth in DU history in the women's 200 IM with her time of 2:00.13 Thursday night. Mina Ada Solaker earned a podium place as well, taking third in 2:02.76. Lilly Zippel (5^th/2:03.76), Izzy Burton (6^th/2:04.33) and Peyton Mullowney (7^th/2:04.54) also earned A-Final points for the Pioneers.
 
Nico Morton led the Denver men in the 200 IM with his first victory of the weekend, getting to the wall in 1:47.44. Noah Laird finished sixth in 1:49.32 and Max Roslin was right behind him in 1:49.45. In the B-Final, Cota Clise, Ian O'Neil and Gabe Jones all scored points for the Pioneers.
 
Julia Saxman gave the Pioneer women another title by a freshman, this time taking the 50 free championship with her time of 22.75. Isa Cardenas earned a podium spot, taking third in 23.11. Ali Beay rounded out the A-Final with her time of 23.51. Darian Koler won the B-Final in 23.44 to close out Denver's women's scoring before the break for diving.
 
Hamish McLellan turned in the sixth-best time in Denver's program history in the 50 free, but finished second behind the new Summit League Championship record holder from South Dakota, clocking in at 19.85. In the B-Final, Matija Pantic took 10^th in 20.49, Benjamin Stone finished 11^th in 20.50 and Luke Milburn finished 15^th with a 20.81.
 
To the diving boards, Savanna Berry climbed to the top step of the podium in the women's 1-meter for the second straight season, recording a 261.25 to earn Denver 20 more points. Kaitlin Calvery took second with her tally of 258.30. Tatum Brasfield finished fifth with a 247.55 and Sydney McCoy won the B-Final with her score of 233.75.
 
Denver's women's 200 free relay dropped nearly a second off its seed time to record another Denver victory in 1:31.31. Saxman, Winter, Beay and Cardenas swam the winning relay for the Pioneers. The Pioneer men scored 32 points for their third-place finish as Stone, Milburn, Pantic and McLellan combined for a time of 1:19.71.
 
Thursday's action finished with the men's team diving event. Colin Breuer, Trip Gregory and Dakotah Parker combined top finish second.
 
NCAA Cuts from Previous Sessions
Men's 1-Meter Dive Prelims – Dakotah Parker – 308.15
Men's 1-Meter Dive Finals – Trip Gregory – 316.85
Men's 1-Meter Dive Finals – Dakotah Parker – 305.90
 
Top-10s in DU History from Previous Sessions
Samantha Synsvoll – Women's 200 IM – 2:01.59 – T-8^th in DU history
 
Summit League Event Champions from Previous Sessions
Women's 200 Medley Relay – Ali Beay, Tenaya Winter, Julia Saxman, Isa Cardenas – 1:39.18
Women's 800 Free Relay – Tenaya Winter, Samantha Synsvoll, Izzy Burton, Sabrina Rachjaibun – 7:17.72
Men's 800 Free Relay – Matija Pantic, Kurt Owens, Pierce Bickerton, Dylan Mes  - 6:31.84
Women's Team Diving – Savanna Berry, Tatum Brasfield, Kaitlin Calvery – 263.05
 
Upcoming Summit League Championship Schedule
Friday, February 20
9 a.m. MT – Swimming Prelims
100 Fly
400 IM
200 Free
100 Breast
100 Back
11:30 a.m. MT – Diving Prelims
Men's 3-Meter
4:30 p.m. MT – Swimming and Diving Finals
100 Fly
400 IM
200 Free
100 Breast
100 Back
Men's 3-Meter
400 Medley Relay
 
Saturday, February 21
9 a.m. MT – Swimming Prelims
200 Back
100 Free
200 Breast
200 Fly
11:30 a.m. MT – Diving Prelims and 1650 Free
Women's 3-Meter
1650 Free Time Final Event Consolation Heats
4:30 p.m. MT – Swimming and Diving Finals
1650 Free Championship Heat
200 Back
100 Free
200 Breast
200 Fly
Women's 3-Meter
400 Free Relay

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