Patriots Swimming Appears to be like to Cap Off Nice Season with Sturdy End on the NAIA National Championships

By: UC Sports Information

Elkhart, IN – The Patriots males’s swimming workforce enters the 2026 NAIA National Championships search for their fifth consecutive top-five workforce end after an unimaginable season. Cumberlands enters these championships with 14 opponents, which is the third most by any faculty, and has 21 marks that rank within the high eight of their respective occasions.
 

UC posted an 7-1 twin meet document on the season earlier than setting a brand new MSC Championship document with 982 factors whereas capturing their eighth consecutive Mid-South Conference title.  Cumberlands had been some of the constant groups all through the season with 5 student-athletes garnering NAIA Swimmer & Diver of the Week honors and breaking seven faculty data.
 
The Patriots will kick off nationals with the 200 medley relay and the 800 free relay collaborating on Wednesday.  Cumberlands enters these championships seeded second within the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:28.69 that they did at their mid-season meet.  The Patriots are additionally ranked sixth within the 800 ree relay with a mark of 6:45.81.
 
Alexander Poulsen, Titouan Bernot, and Ruthiik Satti are ranked within the high eight in every of their three particular person occasions.  Poulsen, the reigning MSC Swimmer of the Year, enters the championship with the second quickest time within the 50 free (19.69) and the 100 fly (47.76), whereas his 43.57 within the 100 free is ranked third within the NAIA.  All three of these marks are new faculty data this season.
 
The reigning MSC Freshman of the Year, Bernot, shattered UC’s 200 free document as he clocked a 1:36.66, which is the quickest time within the NAIA this season.  The Nancy, France native additionally holds the third quickest 500 mark, touching the wall in 4:29.25 and is ranked eighth within the 100 free with a time of 44.70.
 
Satti continues to be one in every of UC’s most constant swimmers’ year-in and year-out and this season has been no exception.  The senior enters the championship ranked fourth in 100 again (48.69).  Satti can be ranked fifth within the 100 fly (48.68) and sixth within the 200 again (1:48.560).  Teammate Brandon Holding is ranked within the top-five in each backstroke occasions.  The freshman’s time of 1:47.07 within the 200 again ranks second within the NAIA, whereas he’s additionally ranked fifth within the 100 again (48.92).
 
Fabrizio Pacioni broke the 400 IM faculty document on the Mid-South Conference Championship when he clocked a 3:53.57, which is the second quickest time within the NAIA this season.  The freshman can be ranked fourth within the 200 IM (1:49.09) and can compete within the 200 breast alongside teammate Jeremiah Koenig. 

Cumberlands continues to have depth in dash free occasions as Adam Geddis and Arvid Farro are each ranked top-20 in all three occasions.  Geddis’ time of 44.44 within the 100 free ranks fourth within the NAIA, whereas he’s additionally seeded eighth within the 200 free (1:39.43) and tenth within the 50 free (20.38).  Farro holds the ninth quickest 50 free clocking a 20.38, whereas he’s additionally ranked within the top-20 of each the 100 free (44.94) and the 200 free (1:41.39). 

The Patriots will lean on veteran Leon Irmer within the 100 breast as he is presently ranked seventh with a time of 54.99. 

 

UC’s depth will even be on show within the 200 free fly with a trio of opponents that swept the rostrum on the MSC Championships.  Conference champion Josh Riegler leads the group with a 1:50.05, adopted by Juan Pablo Ramirez Zapata at 1:50.12 and Zsombor Bene with a 1:50.67.  The trio is ranked top-15 heading into this week.  Ramirez Zapata can be ranked top-20 in each the 200 & 400 IM, whereas Riegler holds the 17^th quickest time within the 100 fly. 

In the gap free occasions, Sergio Saldamando Martinez and Will Gilbert will compete in each the five hundred and 1650 free.  Saldamando Martinez is seeded ninth within the 1650 free, whereas Gilbert is seeking to seize All-American honors in his senior 12 months.

In addition to the person occasions, the Patriots are ranked within the top-four within the 400 medley relay, 200 free relay, and the 400 free relay, which can be contested over the ultimate three days of the meet.  Cumberlands has already set new faculty data in each the 200 free and 400 free relays earlier this season.

 

The NAIA Championship kicks off tonight at 5 p.m. with the relays.  Fans can catch all of the motion from Elkhart, IN here.

 

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