UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State Swimming and Diving teams opened their long-awaited 2025-26 season with a dominant victory over St. Bonaventure. The men took home a win with a final score of 228-72, while the women posted a 211-81 victory.
This marks the first win in head coach Hollie Bonewit-Cron's second season. The Nittany Lions are continuing their momentum from their very successful 2024-25 campaign under Bonewit-Cron.
Men
Top Swims:
Senior Eduardo Cisternas won the 1000-yard Free with a time of 9:15.79, with sophomore Jack Clancy trailing, posting a 9:29.08.
Sophomore Rylan Anselm touched first in the 200-yard Free with a 1:38.18.
The Nittany Lions continued their dominance with senior Cooper Morley taking first in the 100-yard Back, posting a time of 46.42. Senior Mariano Lazzerini followed in the 100-yard Breast, winning first with a 52.54.
Junior Alex Karahalis posted a 1:46.26 to win the 200-yard Fly.
Junior Tylor Kim took back-to-back events, winning the 50-yard Free with a 19.90 and the 100-yard Free with a 43.26.
Morley took his second event of the day, winning the 200-yard Back with a 1:46.95. He was closely followed by Ian Combs, who took second with a 1:48.09. Lazzerini also found his second win of the day in the 200-yard Breast, posting a 1:56.39.
The Nittany Lions swept the podium in the 500-yard Free. Cisternas swam a 4:24:83 to grab first, while Anselm posted a 4:28.47, good for second, and Clancy with a 4:34.44, good for third.
Senior Matthew Bittner tallied his first victory of the season, posting a 48.19 in the 100-yard Fly.
Senior Andrew Christensen and Karahalis both posted a 1:49.54 in the 200-yard, recording the singular tie of the match-up. This served as a new personal best for Christensen.
Relays:
The 200-yard Medley Relay team of Matthew Bittner, Mariano Lazzerini, Cooper Morley and Tylor Kim took home first with a time of 1:25.69.
The Nittany Lions claimed first in the 400-yard Free Relay. The team, consisting of Lazzerini, Toni Slavica, Jake Kennedy and Kim, tallied a 2:56.97.
Diving:
Hayden Elliot got his first win of the season in the one-meter competition, tallying a final score of 320.85, while Danny McGaughey placed second with a score of 292.35. Elliot added an additional victory in the three-meter event with a final score of 321.30. Elliot defeated the second-place finisher by over 39 points.
Winners:
1000 Free: Eduardo Cisternas 9:15.79
200 Free: Rylan Anselm 1:38.18
100 Back: Cooper Morley 46.42
100 Breast: Mariano Lazzerini 52:54
200 Fly: Alex Karahalis 1:47.46
50 Free: Tylor Kim 19.90
100 Free: Tylor Kim 43.26
200 Back: Cooper Morley 1:46.95
200 Breast: Mariano Lazzerini 1:56.39
500 Free: Eduardo Cisternas 4:24:83
100 Fly: Matthew Bittner 48.19
200 IM: Andrew Christensen and Alex Karahalis 1:49.54
1 Meter Dive: Hayden Elliott 320.85
3 Meter Dive: Hayden Elliot 321.30
Women
Top Swims:
Senior Morgan Moore touched first place in the 1000-yard Free with a time of 10:03.07.
Senior Catherine Meisner swam a 1:46.82 to win the 200-yard Free. Margart Markvardt followed in the 100-yard Back, swimming a 55.17.
Sophomore Audrey Cohen took home first in the 100-yard Breast with a 1:03.27.
Freshman Cyrah Robinson grabbed first with an exciting finish in the 50-yard Free, boasting a 23.60, just .19 seconds in front of sophomore Katie Ketter. This served as a new personal best for the freshman from Texas.
Meisner took her second event of the day, winning the 100-yard Free with a time of 50.29. Cohen followed in the 200-yard Breast, winning her second event with a 2:16.80.
Morgan Moore grabbed her second event of the day, boasting a 4:57.09 to win the 500-yard Free. Robinson followed, taking her second event of the day with a 55:10 in the 100-yard Fly.
The women swept the podium in the 200-yard IM. Julia Meisner won the event with a time of 2:02.54, followed by her twin sister, Catherine Meisner, with a time of 2:02.71, and Julia Shafer with a time of 2:04.39.
Relays:
The women started strong, winning the 200-yard Medley Relay with a time of 1:42.46. The team consisted of Margaret Markvardt, Audrey Cohen, Millie Evans and Katie Ketter.
The 400-yard Free Relay boasted a close finish, with the Nittany Lions taking both first and second. The first-place team of Robinson, Moore, Cohen, and Julia Barto tallied a 3:24.49, good for first in an electric finish.
Diving:
Grace Brammer dominated on the women’s side, sweeping both the one- and three-meter diving events. Brammer had a final score of 314.63 in the three-meter dive and a final score of 262.95 in the one-meter dive.
Women’s:
1000 Free: Morgan Moore 10:03.07
200 Free: Catherine Meisner 1:46.82
100 Back: Margaret Markvardt 55.17
100 Breast: Audrey Cohen 1:03.27
200 Fly: Julia Meisner 2:01.00
50 Free: Cyrah Robinson 23.60
100 Free: Catherine Meisner 50.29
200 Breast: Audrey Cohen 2:16.80
500 Free: Morgan Moore 4:57.09
100 Fly: Cyrah Robinson 55:10
200 IM: Julia Meisner 2:02.54
1 Meter Dive: Grace Brammer 262.95
3 Meter Dive: Grace Brammer 314.63
For updates on Penn State Swimming and Diving, follow the team on Instagram (@pennstateswim) and X (pennstateswimdive).