Henderson State wrapped up five days of competition at the 2026 NSISC Championships with a defining accomplishment, the Men's Team Title. Behind record-breaking swims, conference championships and relentless depth across every session, the Red Wave men rose to the top of the standings and secured the conference crown.
From the opening relay to the final event, Henderson consistently placed multiple swimmers into championship A finals and converted those opportunities into podium finishes. That steady production across all five days created separation in the team race and ultimately delivered the title. One of the key moments of the week came in the Men's 200 Freestyle Relay. Following the disqualification of Ouachita, Henderson State was officially elevated to conference champion in the event, adding another gold medal performance to the teams total. The relay group's consistency across all four legs proved pivotal in the overall scoring picture.
Individually, the Red Wave delivered in marquee events. Colin Candebat captured the conference title in the Men's 200 Individual Medley in record-breaking fashion, hitting the NCAA Division II Invite standard and leading a dominant showing in the championship final. In the Men's 400 IM, Nojus Skirutis claimed gold with an NCAA B cut performance, while Hunter Rytting added a third place finish to give Henderson crucial points resulting a major point swing in the standings. Avery Henke secured gold in the Men's 100 Breaststroke, continuing the momentum in the sprint events. While Olivér Pózvai added a podium finish in the Men's 50 Freestyle A final, contributing valuable points in a tightly contested race.
The men's distance group delivered one of the biggest point swings of the championship in the 1650 Freestyle, placing five swimmers in the top eight. Bartu Akin led the way with a third-place podium finish, while Alan González Mujica , Colton Bennett, Thomas Landreneau, and Stevie Balistreri followed with fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh-place finishes. Flooding the championship final with five scorers in the mile created a massive boost in the team standings and showcased the depth and endurance that helped power Henderson State to the NSISC Men's Team Title.
Relays were a consistent strength throughout the week. With Henderson opening with a victory in the 200 Medley Relay, later adding the 200 Freestyle Relay title, the 400 Freestyle Relay title and continuing to earn top-three finishes in additional relay finals, those performances played a central role in building and protecting the team lead.
The Henderson State women also delivered a strong five-day showing, placing multiple swimmers into championship finals and securing key podium finishes in A finals. Throughout the meet, the women contributed individual top-three finishes and relay points that highlighted the program's overall depth and competitiveness at the conference level. Their consistency across prelims and finals sessions kept Henderson in the mix in numerous events and reflected the continued growth of the women's squad. On the final day of competition Emma Crowe placed third in the 200 Backstroke with a time of 2:04.34, while sophomore Shelby Travis placed seventh in the 100 freestyle to provide key points on the women's competition.
Throughout the meet, the Red Wave women advanced into championship and consolation finals in sprint, backstroke and butterfly events, including strong performances from swimmers such as Shelby Travis and Raven Roberts in freestyle and backstroke events .
The championship run was further recognized as Scotty Serio was named the Men's NSISC Coach of the Year. Under his direction, the Red Wave men combined preparation, depth and execution to deliver a complete five-day performance. The honor reflected not only the team title, but the culture and consistency built throughout the season.
With the final points tallied, Henderson State stood atop the podium as the 2026 NSISC Men's Swimming Champions, capping a five-day performance defined by championship swims, relay strength and total team execution.
Final team standings are as follows:
Women:
1.) University of West Florida - 1239
2.) Delta State University - 916
3.) Ouachita Baptist University - 536
4.) Henderson State University - 476
Men:
1.) Henderson State University - 1056
2.) Ouachita Baptist University - 1029.5
3.) Delta State University - 875.5
