DAVENPORT, Iowa—Augustana opened the 2019-20 season Friday night with a dual meet versus St. Ambrose at Davenport North High School. The host Bees won the event by a score of 143-61.
 
Senior Greg Roskowic (Rockford East HS, Rockford, Ill.) and sophomore Aidan McConkey (Olympia HS, Windermere, Fla.) were individual event winners for Coach Dan Lloyd's men. Roskowic captured the 100-yard backstroke in a time of :56.65 and McConkey's 1:50.03 won the 200 freestyle.
 
A pair of Viking freshmen logged second-place finishes. Matthew Felber (Marmion Academy, North Aurora, Ill.) swam the 200 individual medley in 2:05.93 and classmate Isaiah Valentine (Walnut Hills HS, Cincinnati, Ohio) posted a :54.05 in the 100 butterfly. Junior Brett Keefe (Rockford Christian HS, Machesney Park, Ill.) also recorded a second-place effort in 100 breaststroke. He finished in 1:01.51, one spot ahead of Felber (1:05.39).
 
Both of Augustana's relays placed second as well. Roskowic's backstroke led off the Viking 200 medley unit, which finished in 1:41.49. Felber swam the breaststroke, followed by Valentine's butterfly leg, with junior Jeremy Wolf (Woodstock HS, Woodstock, Ill.) handling the freestyle anchor. Wolf led off the 200 freestyle relay, followed by freshman Jack Blumenfeld (Hersey HS, Arlington Heights, Ill.), Roskowic and Valentine. That quartet finished in 1:30.38.
 
In addition to Felber in the 100 breaststroke, senior Adam Smith (Palatine HS, Palatine, Ill.) and Wolf turned in third-place performances for Lloyd. Smith swam an 11:29.73 in the 1000 freestyle and Wolf posted a :22.61 in the 50 free.
 
Of his squad's effort, Lloyd said, "With only two weeks of training and going up against a team that had over six weeks of training, we swam amazing. The races were about heart and mind over matter since we are not fully in shape. We stepped up and raced and showed how mentally tough this team truly is. I couldn't be more proud."
  
On Saturday, October 26, Augustana will host a double-dual versus Millikin and Knox at the Carver Center Pool beginning at 1:00 p.m.