UNLV First Chance Invite
- February 13-14, 2026
- Buchanan Natatorium, Las Vegas, NV
- SCY (25 yards)
- “UNLV First Chance Invitational 2026” on Meet Mobile
A number of best times were set at the UNLV First Chance Meet, with visiting Utah, Utah Tech, and Fresno State all in attendance at the Buchanan Natatorium.
Women’s Recap
Utah’s Paige Korbley led a top-four finish in the 100 fly, which featured three lifetime bests. Korbley took the win in 55.80, while Utah Tech finished 2-3-4 as Kiana Hugins (season best 57.37), Marta Valkovska (personal best 58.54), and Jenna Tracy (personal best 59.84) rounded the event finishers.
Korbley later added another career best in the 200 fly, taking the win in 2:09.19. She later set a 3rd best time with a runner-up finish in the 50 free in 25.36. Fresno State’s Safiyah Supreme in 25.01.
UNLV’s Ava Knopsnyder earned a narrow event win over Utah Tech’s Natalia Zmierczak by three hundredths of a second in the 100 free, as Knopsnyder touched in a season best 52.06. Zmierczak’s 52.09 was also her fastest time of the season.
Utah Tech’s Cera Mallory earned the win in the 100 breast, clocking a career best 1:03.54 to lead a top four sweep for the Trailblazers.
Men’s Recap
UNLV’s Bryson Huey notched the fastest 50 free of the meet, touching over half a second better than the field in 19.44. His teammate Emil Perez finished 2nd in 19,95, marking a lifetime best, and his first time under the 20-second barrier.
Kiril Stepanov swam his fastest 100 free of the season for the Rebels in 44.74, a time that sits just two hundredths of a second off of his lifetime best from the 2025 WAC Championships in 44.72.
UNLV had a trio of men under 1:50 in the 200 back. At the front of that pack was Tatsuki Inoue in 1:43.29, more than six and a half seconds faster than the field, to clock his fastest ever swim by half a second.
UNLV’s Bryson Huey also marked his career best in the 100 breast, touching the final wall in 57.36.
