WESTMONT, Ill. -- The Augustana Vikings men's and women's swimming & diving teams had their season opener on Saturday the FMC Natatorium, with both teams picking up dominant wins over the North Central Cardinals. The men were victorious by a score of 150-24, while the women secured a 174-24 win.

"Today was a great opportunity to race the earliest we have in a season and do so in a world class facility," said head coach Dan Lloyd. "I am proud of our team and this was a great starting point as we move into our fall competition schedule."

In their first outing of the 2023-24 season, the men and women not only placed first in every event, but secured a top three finish in every race outside of just one. In relays, the women's 200-medley composed of Mara Walker (back), Livy Sholl (breast), Zoe Heiar (fly), and Caitlin Stoddard (free) clocked in at 1:52.71 to claim first. In the same race on the men's side, the team of of Lucas Rettig (back), Kacper Cebula (breast), Hunter Craft (fly), and Albert Buvary (free) finished with a time of 1:37.3. Both teams finished several seconds faster than last year's opening-season race in those events. 

The Vikings finished the meet taking gold in the 400-free relay on both ends. The women's relay made up of Brooke Walker, Kylee Blaha, Isabelle Sansom, and Olivia White finished first with a 3:53.23. On the men's side, Cesar Castillo, Jack Brandt, Nathan Mesina, and Sam Kulisek clocked in at 3:20.29.

Other top finishes

● White started the meet off with the first individual win for the Vikings, winning the 1,000 with a time of 11:31.24.
● M. Walker won the 200-free with a 1:59.73.
● Captain Gavin McCorry led the way in the 200-free, finishing with a 1:48.32.
● The women had three swimmers finish within 25 seconds in the 50-free, led by Stoddard at 25.46.
● Brandt posted an impressive 21.88 in the 50-free.
● Annabella Valenti finished first in the 200-IM with a time of 2:20.56.
● Cebula posted a 2:01.00 in his 200-IM and 1:01.8 in the 100-breast, taking first in both.
● Bella Casanovas earned gold in the 100-fly and 500-free with times of 1:03.24 and 5:30.84.
● Rettig dominated the 100-fly with a time of 52.74.
● The women's 100-free saw three Vikings within .65 of each other, led by Sansom in first with a time of 56.13.
● Buvary lead the way in the 100-free finishing with an even 49-second mark.
● Hailey Glasnovich touched the wall first in the 100-back, clocking a time of 1:00.84.
● Dante Rinaldi finished first in the 100-back with a 57.02.
● Christian Mammoser took gold in the 500 with a time of 5:26.21.
● B. Walker won the 100 breast with a 1:12.17 time.

Both teams begin the season with 1-0 records and will visit Monmouth for another dual meet on October 27.