Kansas Women Win All 10 Events At Sunflower Showdown; Saint Mary Men Edge Barton

2025 Sunflower Showdown

• October 3, 2025
• Lawrence, Kan.
• SCY (25 yards)
• Results

Courtesy: Kansas Athletics

LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Kansas Swimming team dominated its competition at the seventh-annual Sunflower Showdown on Friday, winning all 10 events and securing 692 points during the meet in Topeka.

Finishing behind Kansas was Saint Mary’s, who earned 508 points for second place, while Sterling College claimed third with 178, and Barton Community College took fourth with 113 points.

“It was a really, really good start and every meet builds on itself,” said the Jayhawks head coach Clark Campbell. “It will be interesting to see how we progress. We’ve been training really well.”

Kansas started off the showdown with a strong performance in the 200-yard medley relay, sweeping the top four marks in the event. Finishing first with a time of 1:45.65 was the relay team made up of senior Molly Robinson, junior Bradie Ward, sophomore Ella Hansen, and freshman Sarah Blake.

With all KU swimmers placing in the top six spots of the 200-yard freestyle, sophomore Gabi Dyer picked up her first win of the season with a time of 1.49.76, while freshman Ivy Solt placed second in her first career race with a time of 1.51.44. All Jayhawks also placed in the top 10 of 200-yard IM, led by sophomore Maya Lambert who posted a time of 2:07.94 for the win.

Freshman Sarah Blake scored her first individual collegiate victory in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 23.7 seconds. Senior Caroline Blake, Sarah’s sister, finished close behind at 23.83 seconds. Sarah also went on to win the 100-yard freestyle.

The Jayhawks took the top six marks in the 500-yard freestyle, with Dyer taking home her second win of the day with a time of 4:51.04. Solt placed second and sophomore Tait Haag took third in the event.

Captain and senior Lydia Lafferty locked in her first win of the 2025-26 season with a 53.83 time in the 100-yard butterfly, with her fellow teammates taking up the rest of top seven spots in the race. Lafferty later claimed another victory in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 54.93. Junior Ryan Johnston scored a time of 1:02.80, placing her first in the 100-yard breaststroke, with teammates Molly Robinson and Aiden Howze coming in close behind.

Meet day concluded with a Jayhawk victory in the 200-yard freestyle relay, with all of KU’s teams finishing in the top five spots.

“The freshman have brought a lot of energy and train really well every day,” said Coach Campbell. “I’m really happy with Lydia Lafferty and Gabi Dyer. They had really good seasons last year, so they started off with a lot of momentum.”

For official stats and results from the meet, click here.

Up Next 

The Jayhawks return home to Robinson Natatorium to take on South Dakota in a two-day meet, with the competition beginning at 5 p.m. CT on Friday, October 17th.

Courtesy: Saint Mary Athletics

LAWRENCE, KAN. – The University of Saint Mary swimming teams made a splash at the Sunflower Showdown in Lawrence, Kansas, this past Friday, with standout performances across the board. Despite coming off a grueling week of practice, the Spires delivered a solid team performance, facing tough competition in a high-stakes environment.

The men’s team dominated the meet, claiming first place with 755 points, outpacing Barton Community College (517) and Sterling College (63). The women’s team held their own, finishing second with 425 points, just behind Division I University of Kansas (1157).

NAIA National B Cuts

• Blake Jorgens continued his impressive form, earning another NAIA National B cut in the 100 Freestyle with a time of 48.31 seconds.
• Ayla Pierce, an All-American last season, secured a B cut in the 100 Butterfly, finishing in 1:01.59.

Other Notable Performances Strong contributions came from Ian Lucas, Luke Taylor, Olivia Ringle, and Matt Hall, while several freshmen impressed in the high-pressure setting. Taya Swarts, Maria Trotta (a dual-sport athlete who also plays soccer), Ava Steier, and Nick Allison showcased their potential with outstanding swims.

Final Team Scores

• Men
  1. Saint Mary – 755
  2. Barton CC – 517
  3. Sterling – 63
• Women
  1. Kansas – 1157
  2. Saint Mary – 425
  3. Barton CC – 126
  4. Sterling – 62

The Spires’ strong showing against formidable competition sets the tone for an exciting season ahead.

Up Next: 

The Spires will host their own Spire Relays next weekend Saturday, October 12th at 12pm.