Reivers Impress at UNK Invite Weekend
KEARNEY, Neb. - The Iowa Western Reiver Swim Team turned heads at the University of Nebraska–Kearney Invite over the weekend, showcasing speed, depth, and consistency across two days of competition against several NCAA Division II and NAIA programs.
The Reivers opened the meet Friday evening with energy and precision, turning in a series of standout swims in the traditional-format session before returning Saturday morning for a sprint-style meet. Despite a long weekend of racing, Iowa Western continued to perform at a high level, demonstrating the strength and endurance of a program on the rise.
Day One — Distance and Depth Shine
The men's team started strong on Friday, finishing second overall in team scoring with 299 points — just behind Midland University (322). Nebraska Wesleyan followed with 257, Barton Community College 223, and Sterling College 5.
The Reiver men made an early statement with a commanding victory in the 400-yard medley relay, as Bernat Marsol Sarri, Vinicius Oliveira, Cesar Guerrero Vivas, and Ryan Lane stopped the clock at 3:28.98, edging Nebraska Wesleyan by nearly a second.
Sam Brunel dominated the 400 individual medley, winning by over 14 seconds in 4:07.26, while Marsol Sarri added another title in the 200 butterfly (1:50.09). The breaststroke group showed depth, with Guerrero Vivas leading a 1–2–5 Reiver finish in the 200 breaststroke (2:09.14), followed by Oliveira (2:09.60) and Jeremias Fernandez Acevedo (2:17.17).
The men capped the evening with another win in the 400 freestyle relay, as Brunel, Jimmy Koch, Lane, and Tyler Fogle combined for a 3:08.86 to close out a strong opening night.
On the women's side, the Reivers finished sixth with 73 points. Sammy Diaz led the way with a second-place finish in the 1650 freestyle (18:23.41). The women's 400 freestyle relay of Diaz, Emily Walters, Onye Onovo, and Allison Elings placed sixth (3:46.36), with each swimmer splitting under 58 seconds. Bre Dent (14th, 1000 free) and Kaylee Johnson (16th, 200 breaststroke) also contributed to team scoring.
"We had great energy Friday evening and showed some tough four-year schools what junior college swimming is all about," said Head Coach Mykenzie Liston.
Day Two — Sprint Speed and Reiver Resilience
Less than 24 hours later, the Reivers were back in the pool for the UNK Sprint Invite — and they didn't slow down. The men dominated, winning multiple events and showcasing the program's growing depth with a first-place team finish at 606 points, followed by Nebraska Wesleyan (479), Midland (397), Barton (346), and Sterling (8).
Brunel once again led the charge, winning the 200 freestyle in a commanding 1:38.46 — the fastest swim of the meet — and anchoring the victorious 200 medley relay (1:35.54) with Sarri, Oliveira, and Romain Listes.
Sarri picked up two more event wins, taking the 100 backstroke (50.72) and 100 butterfly (49.51), while Oliveira and Guerrero Vivas went 1–2 in the 100 breaststroke (57.47 and 58.36). Koch finished runner-up in the 100 freestyle (47.97) to cap another dominant day for the Reiver men.
The women continued to hold their own against strong four-year programs, finishing fifth overall with 95 points. Western Colorado led the women's side with 579, followed by Nebraska Wesleyan (519), CSU–Pueblo (436), Nebraska–Kearney (281), Iowa Western (95), Midland (9), and Sterling (1).
Diaz once again led the way, placing second in the 200 freestyle (1:58.66). Elings (1:03.71) and Onovo (1:04.70) both reached finals in the 100 butterfly, while Walters added points in the 100 freestyle (58.83). The 200 medley relay of Walters, Ellie Cowan, Brooke Given, and Bre Dent also contributed a strong effort at 2:04.09.
"To come back less than 24 hours later and race even faster on tired legs shows the kind of team we're building here," said Liston. "It's the Reiver mentality — tough, driven, and ready for whatever comes next."
The Reivers will take a short break from racing as they prepare for their mid-season competition early December.