CLEVELAND, Miss. – The Red Wave kept their momentum on day two of the Delta State Thanksgiving Invitational, lead by a strong night from the men's team and key performances on both sides.
Henderson opened the evening with a series of performances in the 500-yard freestyle. On the women's side, Iris McNamara (5:15.56) and Tayden Drake (5:18.16) both scored in the B-final, while Daniela Ruiz (5:20.72) and Emilee Rogers (5:28.67) capped off the event with strong performances in the C-final.
The men delivered one of their biggest scoring events of the night in the 500 free, filling nearly every final heat. Colton Bennett led the Red Wave with a 3rd-place finish in 4:36.95, followed closely by Nojus Skirutis in 4th (4:36.99), Bartu Akin in 5th (4:37.69), and Alan González Mujica in 7th (4:39.70). Henderson State continued stacking points in the B-final with Thomas Landreneau (4:42.01) and Scott Doll (4:46.59).
In the 200 IM, the Red Wave men again surged. Colin Candebat powered his way to a runner-up finish in 1:50.58, with Avery Henke grabbing 3rd at 1:52.78. Hunter Rytting (1:54.86) and Oskar Cebula (1:55.82) rounded out a strong A-final showing for HSU. The depth kept coming with Emiliano Pina, Stevie Balistreri, Eli Westbrook, Jack Groce, Aiden Eckard, Cam Mask, and Benjamin Skinner all producing in the B and C finals.
The sprint events brought more highlights. In the men's 50-yard freestyle, Olivér Pózvai swam a 20.22 to take 2nd overall, followed by the trio of Tristin Ferguson (20.77), Vitor Sa (20.79), and Gavin Kock (20.85) as Henderson State placed four swimmers in the A-final. Cody Bauer and Reid Remmert added B-final points, while several more HSU sprinters contributed in the C and D finals.
The women added strong efforts in the 50 free as well, with Shelby Travis placing in the B-final (24.63) and multiple swimmers performing in the C and D finals to keep the Red Wave in the mix.
The night closed with relays, where Henderson State delivered their biggest punch of the session. The men's 200-yard freestyle relay A-team of Sa, Ferguson, Kock, and Pózvai stormed to first place in 1:21.21, out-touching Delta State to give the Red Wave one of the defining wins of the meet. The HSU B-relay added a 3rd-place finish for major additional points. On the women's side, the A-relay finished 6th in 1:38.11.
With another strong night from the men and key contributions throughout the women's roster, the Red Wave head into day three looking to extend there lead on the men's side where the Red Wave leads Delta State 485-439, followed by Rhodes College (236) and Millsaps College (7), and climb the standings on the women's side.
