OCALA, Fla. — Thomas University closed the Sun Conference Swim Championships with a wave of lifetime bests, relay drops and a school record, highlighted by swimmers
Jofre Mataro and
Luca Tona positioning themselves for potential NAIA national championship berths while breaking school records.
MEN
Tona had four personal bests in the 50 butterfly with a 24.39, 200 butterfly clocking 1:55.08, then broke his own 200 butterfly record again and the school record with a 1:53.24 in the same event. He also hit a personal best in the 200 IM with a time of 2:01.95.
Chase Walker led the sprint group with three personal bests, clocking 51.59 in the 100 freestyle, 26.49 in the 50 butterfly and 56.40 in the 100 butterfly.
Mataro delivered one of the team's top performances and strengthened his nationals résumé. Mataro broke the school record in the 100 backstroke with a 50.13, added season bests of 1:53.52 and 1:51.18 in the 200 backstroke, and anchored the 200 freestyle relay in 20.30 after a lifetime-best 21.35 in the 50 freestyle.
Jonah Hendricks posted a season-best 23.07 in the 50 freestyle and dropped more than seven seconds across two swims in the 200 backstroke, finishing with a personal-best 2:08.82.
Pelayo Gafo recorded a lifetime-best 53.52 in the 100 backstroke while delivering big in the relays.
Aiden Thrasher added lifetime bests in the 50 freestyle (23.37), 50 backstroke (30.04) and a 1:05.22 backstroke split on the 400 medley relay.
Emil Schildhauer hit a season-best 22.23 in the 50 freestyle.
Francisco Visiedo Pereira turned in a strong sprint series with a 22.93 season best in the 50 freestyle, a lifetime-best 22.63 leadoff in the 200 freestyle relay and a 49.02 season-best 100 freestyle leadoff in the 400 free relay.
Jacob Bliancione closed the men's efforts with season bests of 24.31 in the 50 freestyle and 54.60 in the 100 freestyle.
WOMEN
Karlie Autry led the women's team with a season-best 1:04.16 in the 100 backstroke, a 29.98 in the 50 backstroke and a lifetime-best 1:02.81 split on the 400 medley relay. She added a 26.69 lifetime best in the 50 freestyle.
Lucia Roca posted a season-best 26.60 in the 50 freestyle, a lifetime-best 57.64 in the 100 freestyle and a 2:03.81 in the 200 freestyle.
Casey Fair recorded lifetime bests in both sprint freestyle events, going 25.72 in the 50 and 57.22 in the 100.
Anna Van DeKeere delivered a season-best 4:43.82 in the 400 IM, a performance that places her firmly on the bubble for a nationals selection as qualifying lists are finalized.
Alejandra Sopena added a 30.16 backstroke split and a 1:02.51 season-best in the 100 backstroke.
Alexis Horn posted a 2:22.35 season-best in the 200 IM.
Leilani Hichkad contributed a 49.73 breaststroke split.
Thomas University capped the Sun Conference Championships with momentum, highlighted by strong postseason prospects for Mataro and Tona. Schildhauer and Van DeKeere are also in the picture as national selections approach.
