LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Bellarmine University swim teams turned in a successful first home meet of the 2025-26 season, claiming wins over the USI men's and women's team while recording 35 podium finishes, highlighted by 14 gold medals.

Before the meet, the Knights honored former head coach and Bellarmine Athletics Hall of Fame member John Brucato, who passed away over the summer after battling ALS.

The women turned in a solid 11 podium finishes on the day, led by sophomore Micaela Godfrey's two golds. Godfrey won the 400 IM with a time of 4:32.46 and the 200 back with a time of 2:06.32. Fellow sophomore Ava Jones registered a win in the 100 free (54.05) and placed second in the 50 free (24.96), behind teammate Erin Dall'Agnol who won the event with a time of 24.80. The senior also recorded a third-place finish in the 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:24.28.

Freshman Kaja Vaadal tallied two silver medals on the day, coming in second in the 500 and 1000 freestyle races, turning in times of 5:17.99 and 10:49.63 respectively. Junior Lily Wolfe and sophomore Kate Ryan rounded out the effort with a bronze medal each. Wolfe took third in the 1000 free (10:51.94) while Ryan placed third in the 200 free (1:58.82).
The women also won both relays in the event with Godfrey, Dall'Agnol, Annie Leibold and Lily Epley finishing first in the 200 medley (1:48.18) and Jones, Ryan, Lizzy Sosa and Epley wining the 200 free (1:38.42).

On the men's side, 13 Knights combined for 18 podium finishes, including three podium sweeps, highlighted by eight first place finishes. Freshman Ahmet Efe Inceoglu continued to impress, winning two more events in just his second collegiate meet, taking gold in the 50 and 100 freestyle with times of 21.11 and 45.59, respectively.

Six other men tallied one win gold each in senior Sam Jones (1000 free, 9:50.30), freshman Yael Bojalil (200 free, 1:43.04), junior Evan Dickson (500 free, 4:46.66), senior Cason Henderson (400 IM, 4:12.18), freshman Carter Souliere (200 back, 1:53.66) and freshman João Kirchgässner (200 breaststroke, 2:07.63).

In addition to their first-place finishes, Bojalil took second in the 500 free (4:47.61), Dickson took second in the 200 free (1:43.27), Henderson took second in the 200 fly (1:56.76) and Souliere took second in the 200 breaststroke (2:09.01). Junior Colin Jackson registered two podium finishes, placing second in the 200 back with a time of 1:53.77 and third in the 50 free with a time of 21.64. Senior Liam Connelly recorded the final second-place finish in the 1000 free with a time of 10:18.30.

To round out the men's top finishers, junior Britton Pianki (200 free, 1:46.22), freshman Zach May (100 free, 48.40), sophomore Logan LaCombe (200 back, 1:57.65) and junior Evan Jones (500 back, 4:53.66) all took third place in their respective events.

In the 200 medley men's relay, Jackson, Kirchgässner, Caleb Howard and Inceoglu placed second (1:33.83) while LaCombe, May, Cooper Burke and David Diercks took third (1:37.68). In the 200 free relay, Reece Pennington, Diercks, Pianki and Howard placed second (1:27.37) with Burke, Bojalil, Dickson and Anthony Nasrallah placed third (1:28.82).

Up next, Bellarmine will travel to Muncie, IN for a dual at Ball State on November 8.

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