2025 OWL-A-PALOOZA
- October 10-11, 2025
- Houston, Texas
- SCY (25 yards)
- Results
Courtesy: Rice Athletics
HOUSTON — The Rice swim and dive team closed out the Owl-A-Pooluza meet with a team victory Saturday at the Rice Competition Pool.
The Owls finished first with 1,459 points, followed by Houston with 1,429.5 and TCU in third.
Rice dominated the relays, winning five of six events, and earned several individual titles from swimmers including Ella Dyson, Ava Portello, Lily Archibald and Bella Zhang.
The team of Abigail King, Siiri Einio, Archibald and Avery Karacz opened the day with a win in the 100 medley relay, posting a time of 48.20. Portello followed with a first-place finish in the 500-yard freestyle (4:54.17), while Dyson placed second (4:55.37).
Archibald claimed the 50 butterfly title (25.24) and finished second in the 200 butterfly (2:02.38). Zhang swept both the 100 IM (56.57) and 200 IM (2:04.02).
In other top finishes, Ava Hamblett placed second in the 50 backstroke (26.21), and Einio was runner-up in the 50 breaststroke (26.71).
Rice also took first in the 100 free relay, as Neta Ussishkin, Archibald, Karacz and Mia Fildissis posted a time of 43.73. Dyson later won the 1,650 free (16:46.36) with Portello finishing second (16:51.46).
The Owls capped the meet with a win in the 400 free relay, as Archibald, Zhang, Karacz and Reese Cole clocked in at 3:25.33.
In diving, Antonina Harned placed fourth in the 3-meter event (255.35), and Morgan Robson took second in the platform dive (217.40).
The owls will return to the pool on Oct. 18 at the MPSF Open Water Championships in Long Beach, California.
Courtesy: Houston Athletics
HOUSTON DIVING INVITATIONAL
Junior Michelle McLeod earned her third win of the weekend and secured her third zone cut with a score of 238.65 in the platform.
Freshmen Maisy Woloszyn finished the platform competition in sixth (180.10) with sophomore Caroline Roelen coming in eighth (163.65)
RICE FALL SPLASH
The Cougars had five first places finishes including senior Liya Goupil in the 50-yard freestyle (23.70), junior Elizabeth Jimenez in the 50-yard backstroke (25.96) and the 400-yard medley relay team of Jimenez, junior Evelyn Entrekin, senior Noor El Gendy and Goupil (3:43.02). Redshirt senior Alondra Ortiz and sophomore Sienna Bruner also landed on top in the 200-yard butterfly (1:59.95) and 200-yard freestyle (1:50.00).
El Gendy secured a second place finish in the 50-yard butterfly (25.26) while Entrekin finished third in the 50-yard breaststroke (29.15).
Sophomore Mariana Cote tackled the longest event of the day, taking home a third-place finish in the 1650-yard freestyle (16:51.45).
Senior Virag Peter and sophomore Alexia Duncan both landed fourth in the 50-yard breaststroke (29.36) and 50-yard backstroke (26.70), respectively.
The two 400-yard medley relay teams of Jimenez, Bruner, senior Jenna Kerkman and Goupil (3:28.60) and junior Sydney Nethercutt, sophomore Elizabeth Benoit, freshman Cansu Canki and El Gendy (3:38.41) placed second and fourth.
Houston (1429.5) finished second place behind Rice (1459), followed by TCU (1077.5) in third.
UP NEXT
Houston will host its first dual meet of the season against Texas A&M at CWRC Natatorium on Thursday, October 30.
Courtesy: TCU Athletics
HOUSTON – The TCU swimming and diving team wrapped up a two-day stretch of competition at the Rice Fall Splash and Houston Diving Invitational on Saturday.
THE RUNDOWN
To open the first day of swimming competition, the quartet of Josephine Brant, Molly Cullen, Hannah Wachendorfer and Aubrey Finn finished second in the 200 free relay, totaling a 1:35.30 effort.
Along with Steelman’s win in the 400 IM, Sydney Inman threw down a 4:24.29 to place third in the event. Audrey Worgull would follow by finishing second in the 100, throwing down a time of 55.70.
Nina Vadovicova would continue her winning ways from the last meet, grabbing a victory with a time of 1:00.69 in the 100 breast. Avery Dillon would post a 10:12.65 in the 1000 free to secure third overall. To close out the swimming portion of the first day, Worgull, Vadovicova, Finn and Cullen placed third in the 200 medley relay with a collective 1:43.53.
Freshman Taylor Steelman shined throughout the weekend, collecting a pair of wins in the 200 back and 400 IM. Her time of 1:59.81 was good to enough to earn first in the 200 back, and in the 400 IM she threw down a time of 4:22.79 to collect her second victory.
On women’s 1-meter, Emma Larcada Herrera placed second with a total score of 264.85. She would follow with an identical finish on 3-meter, earning 286.20 points. On the men’s portion of diving events, only TCU athletes would compete against each other. David Ekdahl scored a 301.50 on 1-meter and a 337.30 on 3-meter to win both events. Ollie Cazaly and Elliot Dillon swapped second and third-place results on 1-meter and 3-meter to round out the first day.
On Saturday morning, Vadovicova collected the breast event sweep, clocking a 2:12.07 to win the event by nearly five seconds. Avery Dillon collected second in the 200 free and Karolin Victoria Kotsar gathered a third-place result in the 100 IM to round out the morning portion for the Horned frogs.
Moving onto the afternoon portion, Steelman would continue her impressive performance, taking home second with a time of 2:04.89 in the 200 IM. Freshman Molly Cullen finished third in the 50 back, clocking a 26.32.
Vadovicova gathered another victory, this time with a 28.77 effort in the 50 breast. Cullen also continued her trend of garnering top-three finishes, this time placing second in the 50 free (23.71). TCU would earn a handful of fourth-place finishes in the 50 fly and 1650 free to close out the weekend’s individual swimming portion of competition.
On platform, Leah Fletcher earned a final score of 200.25, good enough for third in the event. Lauren Cey was not far behind, posting a 200.25 to finish fourth. On the men’s side, Dillon (257.70), James (255.45), and Cazaly (238.40) were the top three placers for the event.
TEAM SCORES
Rice – 1459
Houston – 1429.5
TCU – 1077.5
