Owls victorious in season-opening Kenyon Relays

GAMBIER, Ohio -- The 2024-25 swimming and diving season opened Saturday for the Kenyon College men's team, which hosted the annual Kenyon Relays at Steen Aquatic Center.

The Owls won all nine swimming events and one of two diving events, nearly completing the meet sweep. Their dominance led to 119 points and the top spot in the final standings ahead of four other teams. Case Western Reserve University placed second with 79 points and The College of Wooster was third with 70 points. Ohio Wesleyan University (43) and Wittenberg University (32) rounded out the bottom of the standings.

Aside from diving, the meet featured nothing but relay races and Kenyon had nine different swimmers record wins in two or more events. Heading up that group was first-year Zach Schuster. He got the Owls going by helping the squad win the meet-opening 200-yard medley relay (1:34.61). He went on to rattle off other wins in the 200-yard breaststroke relay (1:46.42), the 200-yard butterfly relay (1:32.27), the 400-yard individual medley relay (3:36.58), and the 200-yard freestyle relay (1:26.29).

Junior Ethan Manske swam with Schuster on the top 200-yard butterfly relay and 400-yard individual medley relay. Mankse was a part of two other wins, as well, bringing his Saturday total to four. His other two victories came in the 200-yard backstroke relay (1:35.12) and the 500-yard crescendo relay (4:06.32).

Kenyon swimmers who recorded three winning times included junior Djordje Dragojlovic and three first-years in Michael Baltodano, Charlie Green and Spencer Stluka. Baltodano and Stluka teamed up on the winning 200-yard freestyle relay and, along with Dragojlovic, the 500-yard crescendo relay. Green and Stluka both swam legs on the afternoon's first event, the 200-yard medley relay.

In addition to that long list of winners, other Kenyon swimmers who claimed a pair of wins included first-year Neil Abrahamson, sophomore Noel Tumbasz, and senior Philip Howard.

In diving competition, Kenyon junior Owen Peterson whipped up a win on the one-meter board, scoring 314.55 points in a field of eight other divers. On the three-meter board he was edged out by about eight points and took the runner-up spot with a score of 267.30.

The Owls now have a couple weeks away from competition to continue their focus on practice. Their next meet will be a home dual against Ohio Wesleyan University on Friday, November 8.

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Players Mentioned

Djordje Dragojlovic: Junior

Philip Howard: Senior

Ethan Manske: Junior

Owen Peterson: Junior

Noel Tumbasz: Sophomore

Neil Abrahamson: First-Year

Michael Baltodano: First-Year

Charlie Green: First-Year

Zach Schuster: First-Year

Spencer Stluka: First-Year

Players Mentioned

Djordje Dragojlovic
: Junior

Philip Howard
: Senior

Ethan Manske
: Junior

Owen Peterson
: Junior

Noel Tumbasz
: Sophomore

Neil Abrahamson
: First-Year

Michael Baltodano
: First-Year

Charlie Green
: First-Year

Zach Schuster
: First-Year

Spencer Stluka
: First-Year