COLUMBUS, Ga. - The Life University men's and women's swim team hosted the Small College Championships on November 21-23. Life U men's team took home first place in the championship while the women's team placed second. 

The Running Eagle's men's swimming team won an impressive twelve out of 18 event and had 20 top three finishes. Life U men's swimming also won four out of five relay events where Bence Dort, Bence Meresz, Pablo Serra, Brody Williams, Mate Dort and Rasmus Petersen in different combinations were part of the relay teams.

Life U men's swimming broke 5 new team records. Meresz had a successful week as he broke the 50 freestyle record three times in the prelims of the 50 freestyle, leading off the 200 freestyle relay and finals of the 50 freestyle. He's the first person in school history to break 21 seconds in the 50 freestyle. 

Meresz also broke the 100 breast record and qualified for nationals with an A cut. Bence Dort broke the team record in the 50 back leading off the 200 medley relay.

Mate Dort placed first in both the 500 yard freestyle and 400 yard individual medley with the times 4:40.08 and 4:08.65. Pablo Serra Ventura also took home a couple top three finishes as he placed third in 500 yard freestyle (4:44.81) and third in 200 yard backstroke (1:53.51).

Meresz placed first in both the 100 yard breaststroke (54.28), the 50 yard freestyle (20.55) where Brody Williams placed third (21.08), and in the 100 yard backstroke (50.30) where Bence Dort placed third (50.76).

Williams finished first in the 200 yard freestyle with the time of 1:42.17 and second in the 100 yard freestyle (46.81). Bence Dort also took home the first place in 200 yard backstroke (1:49.49), while Rasmus Petersen added a third place in 100 yard butterfly (51.52) and Tyron Klynhans made second place in 200 yard breaststroke (2:08.89) and third place in the 200 yard individual medley (2:00.77).

 

Life U women's swimming team won one event and had ten top three finishes. Nikita Snoeren broke the women's team record in the 50 back leading off the 200 medley relay.  The Running Eagles women's swim team came in second place in the 200 yard freestyle medley after Kyleigh Shonk, Seema Chavis, Terangimarie Moanaroa and Snoeren secured the time 1:40.42. 

Snoeren had a successful week as she placed in the top three in an additional four events. Snoeren placed second in the 50 yard freestyle (24.79) and Moanaroa placed third (24.90). She placed second in the 100 yard breaststroke (58.09) and first in the 100 yard freestyle (53.89) where Zara Kleinhans placed third (55.15). 

Kendall Ashburn didn't hold back this week either as she claimed third place in both the 400 yard individual medley (4:46.69) and 200 yard butterfly (2:14.09). 

Additionally, Elisa Gross placed third in the 100 yard butterfly (1:00.47, Megan Cronje placed second in the 200 yard breaststroke  (2:33.02) and the 400 yard freestyle relay team that consisted of Snoeren, Shonk, Klienhans and Ashburn took home the fourth place (3:39.74). 

Up next, the Running Eagles will have a break until the next years as they'll travel to Fort Myers, Florida to take on Ave Maria University and St. Thomas University in AMU Tri-meet Friday, January 10th 2025.