DENVER – The University of Denver men's and women's swimming and diving programs opened the final weekend of the regular season with the First Chance Invitational on Friday afternoon inside El Pomar Natatorium.
 
Event Winners:
Men's 3-Meter Dive – 349.30 - NCAA Zone Cut – 5^th in DU History
Women's 3-Meter Dive – 318.15 – NCAA Zone Cut – 4^th in DU History
Women's 200 Medley Relay – 1:40.27 – Ali Beay, Tenaya Winter, Julia Saxman, Isa Cardenas
Women's 400 IM – Samantha Synsvoll – 4:28.82
Men's 400 IM – Cota Clise – 4:02.20
Women's 200 Free – Tenaya Winter – 1:50.76
Women's 100 Back – Isa Cardenas – 55.59
Men's 100 Back – Quinn Collins – 48.64
Men's 100 Breast – Kito Campbell – 53.85
Women's 200 Fly – Sabrina Rachjaibun – 2:03.12
Women's 1650 Free – Genevieve Franklin – 17:17.12
Men's 1650 Free – Finn Holdredge – 15:46.35
 
How it Happened:
Friday morning's diving events saw big scores flying in the final regular season meet for the Pioneer divers. Trip Gregory won the men's 3-meter with a 349.30. Gregory's score ranks as the fifth-best score on the 3-meter in Denver's Division I history. Colin Breuer led Denver's divers in the 1-meter with a score of 319.90 to take second and earn his first NCAA Zone Cut in the event. Breuer's score also moved him up to seventh in program history in the men's 1-meter.  
 
In the women's 3-meter dive on Friday, Savanna Berry and Kaitlin Calvery earned a Denver 1-2 in the event with a pair of NCAA Zone Cuts. Berry scored a 318.15, moving her to fourth in program history in the event, while Calvery turned in a 303.25. Tatum Brasfield also earned a personal-best in the event and moved into ninth in program history with her score of 291.65.
 
Denver opened the swimming portion of the meet with a win in the women's 200 medley relay as the quartet of Ali Beay, Tenaya Winter, Julia Saxman and Isa Cardenas combined for a time of 1:40.27.
 
Freshman Samantha Synsvoll continued her strong start to her rookie campaign with a win in the 400 IM, reaching the final wall in 4:28.82. On the men's side, Cota Clise won the 400 with a time of 4:02.20 to give the Pioneer men their first win of the day.
 
Tenaya Winter kept things rolling for the Denver women, leading the 17 swimmer field with her time of 1:50.76.
 
Pierce Bickerton finished second in the men's 200 free, trailing only new El Pomar Natatorium record holder Alexander Metzler from Wyoming who swam the event in 1:35.82.
 
Cardenas got the Pioneers back in the win column with her victory in the women's 100 back, clocking in at 55.59 to edge out the 18 swimmer field.
 
In the men's backstroke event, Quinn Collins earned the top spot with his time of 48.64.
 
Friday's events shifted to the breaststroke with Peyton Mullowney reaching the wall in second with her time of 1:03.54. Kito Campbell approached the pool record in the men's 100 breast, finishing first in 53.85.
 
Junior Sabrina Rachjaibun swam a balanced 200 fly, taking the lead near the midway point and not relinquishing it the rest of the way with her time of 2:03.12. Hamish McLellan led the Denver men in the fly, finishing third with his time of 1:49.17.
 
Following a break, Genevieve Franklin led a Pioneer podium sweep in the women's mile with her time of 17:17.12. Nika Spehar clocked in at 17:24.24 and Paige Reilly reached the final wall in 17:34.49.
 
In the men's mile, Finn Holdredge led a Denver 1-2 with his time of 15:46.35, while Max O'Neil finished the distance race in 16:04.29.
 
Winter, Saxman, Izzy Burton and Cardenas combined to swim the women's 400 free relay in 3:25.03 in their final timed test before the Summit League Championships. On the men's side, Matija Pantic, McLellan, Tommy Hancock and Benjamin Stone earned a time of 2:59.28.
 
Up Next:
Denver will wrap-up its pre-championship schedule on Saturday morning when the Pioneers close out the First Chance Invitational. Swimming action will begin at 10 a.m. MT in El Pomar on Saturday, and will be streamed live on YouTube.
 
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