By Teziah Howard / The Jambar
The Youngstown State University men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams had its home opener in Beeghly Natatorium on Sept. 26-27. The Penguin divers competed last Thursday while swimmers followed the next day.
YSU hosted the St. Bonaventure University Bonnies and added their first win at home. The men’s team won 150-148 and the women’s team won 152.5-147.5.
The Penguins saw a series of victories from both newcomers and veterans.
Sophomore Hanna Held led the charge for YSU’s divers with wins in both one-meter and three-meter dives. Behind Held in the one-meter was her senior teammate, Ellen Linschield, with a score of 267.
Held and Linscheid both notched a score qualifying them for the NCAA Diving Zones, which will take place in March. The qualification score sits at 265.
The men’s one-meter dive featured top-five finishes from freshman Patrick Adams and junior Zachary Lao placing fourth and fifth, respectively. Adams posted a score of 243.83 and Lao finished with a score of 227.10
In the three-meter dive, Adams posted a third place finish with a score of 215.63, while Lao’s 208.73 earned him fourth. Freshman diver Andrew Miller rounded out the top five with a score of 197.03.
Senior Oliwia Kaniak has made her mark since joining the team in 2021. She was a top-five finisher in the Horizon League Championships her junior year, and a top-ten finisher her freshman year.
Kaniak pulled off a trifecta in the pool. Her 100-meter breaststroke time of 1:06.47 earned her first in the event. Kaniak doubled back in the 200-meter breaststroke with a time of 2:25.63. The hat trick was encapsulated when she finished her 200 individual medley with a 2:11.06 victory.
Kaniak said her triple victories gave her more confidence for the season.
“I am happy about it but I am still humble. I know that there are a lot of swimmers out there swimming fast and swimming well,” Kaniak said. “It’s definitely a confidence boost for the next competition because I know I can do it.”
Junior James Slessor mirrored Kaniak with wins in the 100 and 200 breaststroke. Slessor swam a 57.07 in the 100 and a 2:07.07 in the 200.
Junior Miriam Frass swam to two victories in the 200 and the 500 free. Frass has been a staple for the team since her arrival in 2022. As a freshman, she broke the 1650 free school record.
The ’Guins will be on the road and begin Horizon League play when they travel to Rochester, Michigan, to take on the Oakland University Golden Grizzlies Oct. 4-5.
To view live stats, visit YSUsports.com.