Hokies Soar to Victory in Thrilling Season Opener of 2025!

CHARLOTTE, N.C.- The Hokies excelled in their inaugural meet of the new year, with the women triumphing over Queens University 157-100, and the men securing a victory 178-79. 

Hokie Women: 

The women commenced the day with a remarkable first-place time of 1:38.94 in the 200 medley relay, courtesy of Carmen Weiler Sastre, Emily Santos, Athena Meneses Kovacs, and Emily Claesson. 

Delaney Bookstein (16:37.57), Maddy Grafmiller (16:44.96), and Camille Weiss (16:47.68) occupied the podium in the 1650 free, with Grafmiller also earning third in the 500 free (4:58.08). Kate Anderson achieved a time of 4:49.88 in the 500 free, clinching first place. 

Weiler Sastre maintained her dominance with first-place finishes in the 100 free (49.13) and 200 free (1:46.30). Anna Summers secured second in the 100 free (50.85) and finished third in the 50 free (23.25), just behind Emily Claesson who claimed second (22.92).

Emma Atkinson shone in the backstroke, taking first place in the 100 back (53.40) and the 200 back (1:56.28). Janika Perezous achieved third in the 100 back (55.13), while Meneses Kovacs positioned second in the 200 back. 

Santos grabbed first in the 100 breast (1:01.79) and the 200 breast (2:13.66), marking a sixth-best school record, with Esther Park closely trailing, finishing with a 1:02.83 in the 100 and 2:16.22 in the 200, both securing third place. 

Claesson clocked a time of 53.88 in the 100 fly, good enough for first position. Stephanie Sifferman came in third with her time of 55.24. In the 200 fly, Nichelly Lysy finished second (2:02.41) and Brooke Zettel took third (2:03.21). 

Lysy also swam a 2:03.41 in the 200 IM, securing second position. 

Weiler Sastre, Claesson, Atkinson, and Meneses Kovacs concluded the meet with a first-place finish in the 200 free relay (1:31.30). 

Hokie Men:

Youssef Ramadan, Carles Coll Marti, William Hayon, and Brendan Whitfield sustained the momentum with a first-place finish in the 200 medley relay (1:24.18), establishing a new top-ten record for the Hokies. 

Lee Naber (15:13.23) and JC Gordon (15:35.68) claimed first and second respectively in the 1650 free. Luis Dominguez topped the standings in the 500 free (4:28.66) while Naber took second (4:32.55). 

Dominguez also achieved first in the 200 free (1:33.94), followed by Jakub Poliacik in second (1:36.41). Whitfield won the 50 free with a time of 19.59, with Hayon finishing third (20.11). 

The Hokies swept the podium in the 100 free with Ramadan attaining first (41.95), Whitfield securing second (42.82), and Dominguez earning third (43.66).

Mario Molla Yanes clinched first place in both the 100 back (47.05) and 200 back (1:43.53). Gabriel Yuk finished third with a time of 48.55. 

In the breaststroke, Coll Marti succeeded in the 100 breast (51.46) and 200 breast (1:50.53). Ethan Maloney placed second in both events with a 53.46 in the 100 breast and a 1:59.99 in the 200 breast. The pair was joined by Joseph Hong in third place in the 200 breast (2:00.34). 

Ramadan recorded a 45.20, earning first in the 100 fly. Hayon followed, taking second (46.48) and Gabriel Yuk securing third (47.53). In the 200 fly, Levente Balogh finished first (1:47.97), Carl Bloebaum placed second (1:48.05), and Landon Gentry achieved third (1:48.08).

Coll Marti continued his streak of first-place finishes with a time of 1:42.70 in the 200 IM, followed by Jakub Poliacik in third (1:49.18). 

Ramadan, Whitfield, Hayon, and Tanish George Mathew concluded the day for the Hokies with a first-place finish in the 200 free relay (1:17.84). 

Next up:

Tomorrow, the Hokies will commemorate senior day at 11:30 a.m. before facing South Carolina at noon at the Christiansburg Aquatic Center.