ARKADELPHIA, Ark. — The Red Wave showcased its depth and power this morning, earning a decisive combined victory over Truman State inside Wells Natatorium. The Red Wave men defeated the Bulldogs 169-36, while the women secured a hard-fought 107-96 win to complete the team sweep.
From the opening relay, HSU made its presence known. The women's 200-yard medley relay team of Emma Crowe, Monroe Chittum, Raven Roberts, and Shelby Travis got the meet rolling with a convincing win at 1:48.01. Not to be outdone, the men's A relay of Avery Henke, Oskar Cebula, Colin Candebat, and Tristen Fergunson raced to first place in 1:31.93, setting an early tone that carried through the rest of the afternoon.
Freshman standout Bartu Akin was a force in the distance events, winning both the 1000-yard freestyle (9:45.30) and the 500-yard freestyle (4:40.34). Teammate Colton Bennett followed close behind in both races, helping the Red Wave secure valuable points in the men's standings. Alan Gonzalez Mujica added depth in the distance lane with a third-place finish in the 1000 free (10:05.58), giving HSU a clean sweep in the 1000.
In sprint and middle-distance events, Henderson State continued to shine. Sophomore Gavin Kock took first in the 50-yard freestyle with a 21.03, edging teammate Vitor Sa by just .08 seconds. Senior Scott Doll added another individual victory in the 200 freestyle (1:43.80) before teaming up with Kock, Sa, and Oliver Pozvai to win the 400-yard freestyle relay in 3:04.95 the event that capped off a complete team effort from the Red Wave men.
Cebula continued his strong form with a dominant win in the 100-yard breaststroke (56.83), while Nojus Skirutis captured the 100 backstroke title (51.02). Henderson also swept the top three spots in the 200-yard IM behind Skirutis, Candebat, and Hunter Rytting, further extending the team's commanding lead.
On the women's side, sophomore Iris McNamara led the way with two individual wins, taking the 200 free (1:58.60) and 100 free (54.80) in convincing fashion. Crowe added another strong performance with victories in both the 200 medley relay and the 100 backstroke (57.53), while Chittum placed third in the 200 IM (2:19.79) and Roberts finished top-three in the 100 backstroke.
Shelby Travis and Ryann Grasser added critical points in sprint and relay events, with both swimmers contributing to Henderson's 400-yard freestyle relay victory. The quartet of Travis, McNamara, Grasser, and Roberts clinched the win with a time of 3:38.26, officially sealing the Red Wave's team sweep over Truman State.
The Red Wave's dominant depth was on full display throughout the day, earning top-three sweeps and multiple season-best performances across the board. Henderson State will return to action next weekend vs. Delta State as it continues its fall schedule in preparation for mid-season competition.
