CLEVELAND, Miss. – The Red Wave capped a standout four-day performance at the 2025 Delta State Thanksgiving Invitational with two NCAA Division II B-cuts and a dominant showing from the Henderson State men, who surged to the team championship behind exceptional depth and finals scoring.
Two Red Wave Swimmers Hit NCAA B-Cuts
Henderson State's biggest highlights came from:
Olivér Pózvai - 100 Freestyle (44.60)
Pozvai delivered a A-final performance on the final night to secure an NCAA B-cut.
Emma Crowe - 100 Backstroke (55.52)
Crowe punched her NCAA B-cut time with an impressive day-three A-final swim.
Meet Recap - Four Days of Red Wave Momentum
Day One - Strong Opening and Relay Momentum
The Red Wave set the tone early with major point hauls in the distance events. The men packed the top seven of the 1000 free with four swimmers, while the women opened with solid placements from Daniela Ruiz and Emilee Rogers. The men's 200 medley relay earned a strong second-place finish to anchor a high-energy first night.
Day Two - Depth Takes Over
Henderson State's depth across every stroke group began to stand out on day two. The men continued gaining ground with multiple A-finalists in the 500 free, 200 IM, and 50 free, capped by a first place finish in the 200 free relay. The women delivered several season bests and impressive swims across B and C finals to keep momentum heading into the weekend.
Day Three - Breakout Swims and a B-Cut
Day three featured some of HSU's strongest sessions of the Invitational. The men stacked A-finalists in the 100 fly, 400 IM, and 200 free, generating one of the biggest scoring evenings of the weekend. On the women's side, Emma Crowe's NCAA B-cut in the 100 backstroke became the defining moment of the night. The men's 400 medley relay closed the session with a season-best runner-up finish.
Day Four - Distance Domination and Pozvai's B-Cut Clinch the Title
The final day belonged to the Red Wave.
The men exploded in the 1650 freestyle, placing four swimmers in the top six, led by Bartu Akin (2nd), Colton Bennett (3rd), Thomas Landreneau (5th), and Alan González Mujica (6th).
Crowe returned with another top performance, placing 5th in the women's 200 back.
The biggest moment came in the men's 100 freestyle, where Olivér Pózvai hit the NCAA B-cut mark, leading a massive scoring event that pushed HSU decisively ahead in the team race. Skirutis added a runner-up finish in the 200 fly, while Henke and Cebula secured major points in the breaststroke. The meet closed with a season-best from the men's 400 freestyle relay (3:00.71), sealing the Red Wave's team title.
With two NCAA B-cuts, dozens of season-best swims, and the men capturing the 2025 Thanksgiving Invitational Championship, the Red Wave exit Cleveland carrying major momentum. The women delivered a strong fourth-place finish highlighted by finals depth and Crowe's national-cut performance, positioning both sides for a powerful second half of the season.
Final Team Standings
Men
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Henderson State - 1194
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Delta State - 1115
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Rhodes - 653
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Meridian CC - 23
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Millsaps - 22
Women
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West Florida - 1316.5
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Delta State - 1013.5
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Rhodes - 560.5
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Henderson State - 414.5
