Nick Rounds Punches NCAA Ticket, Sets 50 Free Meet Record On Day 2 At Summit League Championships

2026 Summit League Championships

• Dates: Wednesday, February 18–Saturday, February 21
• Location: Campus Recreation & Wellness Center, Iowa City, IA
• Defending Champions: Denver women (11x); Denver men (10x)
• Teams: Denver, Eastern Illinois, Nebraska-Omaha, South Dakota, South Dakota State, Southern Indiana, St. Thomas
• Live Results
• Live Video: Summit League Network
• Schedule of Events (PDF)
• Championship Central
• SwimSwam Fan Guide
• Live Results
• Live Video: Summit League Network
• Day 2 Results

South Dakota sophomore Nick Rounds punched his ticket to the NCAA Championships and the University of Denver extended its advantage atop the men’s and women’s standings on Day 2 of the Summit League Championships in Iowa City.

WOMEN’S RECAP

Denver was simply dominant on Thursday night, claiming all five events on the women’s side, led by junior Sabrina Rachjaibun.

Rachjaibun kicked off the session by defending her title in the women’s 500 free, clocking 4:49.40 to narrowly miss her personal best of 4:49.15 set en route to winning last year’s final.

South Dakota’s Emily Diprospero was the runner-up to Rachjaibun for the second straight year in 4:53.17.

Denver freshman Samantha Synsvoll followed up with a win in the 200 IM, using a strong freestyle leg to claim the victory in a big best time of 2:00.13. South Dakota’s Taylor Buhr, 7th last year, took 2nd in 2:01.02, while the 2025 runner-up, Denver’s Mina Ada Solaker, rounded out the podium in 2:02.76.

The Pioneer first-years continued to shine in the 50 free, as Julia Saxman crushed the competition in a time of 22.75, the only swimmer to break 23 seconds. That performance was just one one-hundredth shy of her best time set in December 2024.

In the 200 free relay, Denver’s quartet of Saxman (23.07), Tenaya Winter (22.77), Ali Beay (22.92) and Isabella Cardenas (22.55) clocked 1:31.31 to claim the victory over South Dakota (1:32.44) and Omaha (1:32.98).

The Denver duo of Savanna Berry (261.25) and Kaitlin Calvery (258.30) went 1-2 in the 1-meter diving event for the second straight year, helping push the Pioneers to a 118-point lead heading to Friday.

Women’s Team Standings – Through Day 2

1. Denver, 408
2. South Dakota, 290
3. Nebraska-Omaha, 233
4. St. Thomas, 163
5. South Dakota State, 147
6. Southern Indiana, 139
7. Eastern Illinois, 72

MEN’S RECAP

The South Dakota men had a standout session on Thursday night, highlighted by Nick Rounds performance in the 50 free final.

Rounds, a sophomore, unleashed a big best time of 19.15 to win the 50 free title, setting new Summit League Championship and South Dakota program records while also earning a berth to the Men’s NCAA Championships.

Rounds broke the conference championship record of 19.17, set by Denver’s Sid Farber in 2020, took down his own South Dakota mark of 19.43 set earlier this season, and went well under the NCAA qualifying standard, which also stands at 19.43, to earn a spot at next month’s national championship.

Rounds narrowly missed the overall Summit League Record of 19.13, set by Denver’s Cameron Auchinachie in 2019.

Joining Rounds under 20 seconds was Denver sophomore Hamish McLellan, who did so for the first time in 19.85 to earn the runner-up spot.

Rounds was back in the water later in the session in the 200 free relay, leading off in 19.34 before teammates James Schreiber (19.74), Matthew Sorbe (19.66) and Jordan Hogue (19.81) finished the job and earned the Coyotes the title in a time of 1:18.55, shattering the school record of 1:19.89.

Omaha claimed 2nd in 1:19.08 behind a 19.24 anchor from William McCabe, while Denver took 3rd (1:19.71) with a blistering 19.00 anchor from 50 free runner-up McLellan.

South Dakota swept all three men’s freestyle events on the night, as sophomore Alex Parkinson started things off by winning the 500 free in 4:22.31, breaking his own school record of 4:22.87 set earlier this season. As a freshman, he was 5th in the 2025 final.

Parkinson was followed by four Denver swimmers, as the Pioneers swept 2nd through 5th in the race, led by freshman Pierce Bickerton (4:25.15).

The lone victory for the Denver men on the day came from Nico Morton, as the junior topped the 200 IM field in a time of 1:47.44 to improve on his runner-up finish from last year. His time improved on his previous best of 1:47.60 set in last year’s final.

The Omaha men closed out the session by winning the team diving event with a final score of 347.85 points.

Men’s Team Standings – Through Day 2

1. Denver, 312
2. South Dakota, 268
3. Nebraska-Omaha, 238
4. St. Thomas, 133
5. South Dakota State, 123
6. Southern Indiana, 112
7. Eastern Illinois, 76