Five Cal Baptist Freshmen Select Transfer Homes After Men’s Swim Program Is Cut

Five freshmen from Cal Baptist have found their next home after the men’s swimming and diving program found out on January 2nd that it would be cut at the end of the season. Three of the freshmen will head to Grand Canyon while two will join Saint Mary’s College.

Ben Madson, Trent Bemis, and Holden Short will all transfer to Grand Canyon. Madson was the 6th highest scorer for the team at the 2026 Mountain Pacific Sport Federation (MPSF) Championships with 34 points including a 3rd place finish in the 100 back with a 47.15. Madson was also 9th in the 200 back (1:45.95) and 9th in the 50 free (20.09).

Short scored 10 individual points at the conference level and was 12th in the 1650 free (15:52.45), 14th in the 500 free (4:31.68), and 15th in the 200 free (1:41.37). Bemis scored two individual points at the MPSF Championships with a 15th place finish in the 100 breast (55.08).

The Grand Canyon men finished 2nd at the 2026 Big West Championships with 728 points, finishing just behind Hawaii’s 780 points. All three men would have scored individually for Grand Canyon. Grand Canyon University is a five hour drive from Saint Mary’s College.

Jacob Smith and Samuil Danailov will transfer to Saint Mary’s College of California. Danailov scored 10 individual points at the MPSF Championships with a 12th place finish in the 200 free (1:39.18), 13th place finish 100 free (44.74), and 16th place 50 free (20.73). Smith’s highest finish came in the 100 breast as he swam a 56.91 for 17th.

Saint Mary’s College of California will be in its first season this upcoming fall as the school announced the addition of men’s and women’s swimming back in September. The program will compete in the MPSF Championships. Cal Baptist is a seven hour drive from Saint Mary’s College.

The Cal Baptist men finished 4th out of six teams at the 2026 Mountain Pacific Sport Federation (MPSF) Championships.