Hawaii Men Pop 1:23.6 200 Medley Relay on Night 1 of Big West Championships

2025 BIG WEST CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Dates: Wednesday, February 12–Saturday, February 15
• Location: CRWC Natatorium, Houston, TX
• Defending Champions: N/A (inaugural event)
• Live Results
• Live Video
• Championship Central
• Teams: Cal Poly*, Cal State Bakersfield*, Hawaii*, UC Davis (women)*, UC San Diego*, UC Santa Barbara*
• Results
  • Day 1 

TEAM SCORES (THRU DAY 1)

WOMEN

1. UC San Diego – 80
2. Hawaii/UC Santa Barbara – 66 (TIE)
3.  –
4. UC Davis – 60
5. Cal Poly – 56
6. CSU Bakersfield – 52

MEN

1. Hawaii – 111
2. Cal Poly – 92
3. CSU Bakersfield – 86
4. UC Santa Barbara – 74
5. UC San Diego – 60

In the first year of the return of the Big West Swimming & Diving Championships, we saw tons of great swimming in Houston. Following the first few events of the meet, UC San Diego sits atop the women’s standings, while Hawaii is leading the men’s effort.

With over a decade passing since the last Big West Championship, the record book was ripe for rewriting, and these teams delivered, taking down every record on the books last night. It started with the women’s 200 medley relay, where UC San Diego’s team of Maddie O’Connell (25.08), Chloe Braun (26.82), Eva Boehlke (23.48), and Mackenzie Lee (22.33) combined for a 1:37.71, winning the event and setting a new conference meet record. Hawaii was close, seeing Alexa Ozment (25.20), Mando Nguyen (27.75), Holly Nelson (23.07), and Zofia Tyminska (21.99) team up for a 1:38.01. Braun’s breast split was the real difference maker for UCSD, as that’s where they really broke out into the lead. UC Santa Barbara also notably got a 21.88 out of their anchor, Miranda Stevenson.

It was the Hawaii men’s turn then to roll in the 200 medley relay. Karol Ostrowski (21.00), Tomer Goldfaden (23.39), Edward Stoddard (20.22), and Dieter Meyer (19.03) put up a 1:23.64, shattering the Big West meet record and missing the NCAA ‘A’ cut by just 0.02 seconds. Once again, it was the breast leg that really made a huge difference for the winning team, as that’s where Hawaii really broke into the lead. UC Santa Barbara put up a heck of a relay too, as Matt Driscoll (21.20), Kyle Brill (24.16), Justin Wong (20.03), and Zahcary Tamusaitis (18.99) combined for a 1:24.38.

UC San Diego made it a sweep of the women’s relays on the night by winning the 800 free relay with a new meet record of 7:11.65. Asia Kozan (1:45.32), Sophia Bell (1:48.36), Sydney Niles (1:48.28), and Audrey Moore (1:49.69) teamed up to get the job done. Other notable splits in the race included UC Santa Barbara’s Samantha Banos, who led her team off in 1:46.02.

UC Santa Barbara then took the men’s 800 free relay to close out the session, swimming a 6:21.86 to set a new meet record. Austin Sparrow (1:33.65), Jude DiStefano (1:36.34), Mason Wendler (1:37.00), and Owen Berry (1:34.87) teamed up to earn the win.

Men’s 1-meter diving also took place last night, seeing Juan Ramirez Tamaya of Hawaii win with a final score of 335.95. It was a 1-2 punch for the Rainbow Warriors, as Brandon Shepherd came in 2nd with a score of 318.30.