The Youngstown State men's and women's swimming and diving programs are set to begin the highly anticipated, four-day Horizon League Championships on Wednesday at the IU Natatorium in Indianapolis, Ind.
Action will get underway on Wednesday with diving prelims at 1 p.m. and finals at 5:30 p.m. The following two days of competition will hold swimming prelims at 10 a.m., diving prelims at 1 p.m., and swimming and diving finals starting at 4:30 p.m. Saturday's swimming prelims will also begin at 10 a.m. with diving to follow at 12:30 p.m. Action will wrap up with finals at 5:30 p.m. Fans can watch the championship meet live on ESPN+.
Previewing the Penguins
The main story revolving around the Penguins' men's team involves Gavin Webb, the fifth-year standout who is looking for an incredible fourth-consecutive title in the 1650 free. If completed, Webb would become just the third swimmer in Horizon League history, and first since Henk Markgraaff of Cleveland State from 1997-2000 to four-peat in the event. Webb's current quickest time this season of 15:35.52, accomplished at the Magnus Cup Invitational, ranks third in the league. He won the title last season with a time of 15:09.60, which is his personal best.
Other events that Webb currently ranks towards the top of the Horizon League in heading into the conference championships include:
- 1000 free – 2nd (9:22.21)
- 400 IM – 2nd (3:54.55)
- 500 free – 3rd (4:27.46)
Leading the Penguin women is junior Miriam Frass, who is the defending Horizon League champion in the 400 IM. Her victory last year at the championships was a major milestone for the Penguins women's program, as she was the first YSU women's swimmer to win a Horizon League Championships event title since 2013. Her fastest time this season of 4:28.06 currently ranks fifth-fastest among Horizon League swimmers. She won last year's title in the event with a time of 4:21.37.
Like Webb for the men, Frass is very competitive in numerous events, as she collected second-place finishes in the 500 free and 1650 free at last year's championships as well. She ranks in the top eight in terms of qualifying times in two other events heading into this year's championships. They are the 1650 free, where she is the top seed as she boasts a time of 16:41.22, and the 500 free, where she is the second seed with a time of 4:55.45.
Another top performer this season for the women has been Oliwia Kaniak, who has had an outstanding 2024-25 season to date, and is looking to build off of two top-five finishes at the league championships last year, as she finished fourth in the 200 breaststroke, and placed fifth in the 200 IM.
Kaniak is currently seeded second in the 100 breaststroke (1:02.91) and sixth in the 200 breaststroke (2:20.65) heading into the league championships.
Other Penguin women that rank in the top-eight in events coming into the championships are Olivia Sweetman (7th) and Morgan Glass (8th)in the 500 free, Hailey Clark (3rd), Sweetman (4th) and Glass (5th) in the 1650 free, Eloise Fisher (5th) in the 100 breaststroke, and Allison Ramirez Romero in the 200 butterfly (4th).
For the men, junior James Slessor looks to build off two sixth-place finishes at last year's conference championships in the 100 breaststroke, as well as the 200 breaststroke. Slessor is seeded second in the 100 breaststroke (54.33) and third in the 200 breaststroke (1:59.20).
A trio of freshmen have shined for the Penguin men this season, that being Lorenz Beck, Jacob Gramer, and Poyraz San Askin, and they will look to leave their mark in their first trip to the conference championships.
Beck will be seeded first in the 100 butterfly, as he holds the fastest-qualifying time of 47.65. Gramer holds the second seed in the event, qualifying with a time of 47.61. Beck will also be seeded eighth in the 200 butterfly.
Aside from the 100 butterfly, Gramer has the fourth-fastest qualifying time heading into the conference championships in the 50 free (20.12), and the seventh-fastest time in the 100 free (44.76).
San Askin is seeded fifth in the 1650 free with a qualifying time of 15:41.03. He is seeded right behind fellow Penguin Gavin Webb.
The Penguins will also have strong representation in the diving events. Sophomore Hanna Held leads the Penguin women as she is seeded second in the one-meter dive, scoring 273.68 to qualify. Ellen Linscheid is seeded seventh in the one-meter dive with a score of 267.00. Held also has a high seed in the three-meter dive, as she has the second-highest qualifying score of 300.00.
For the men, Cody Thill is ranked fourth in the three-meter dive, scoring a 331.73. He Is also ranked sixth in the one-meter dive, qualifying with a score of 286.58.
Penguins Looking to Raise the Bar
Both the male and female squads are coming off fourth-place finishes at last season's Horizon League Championships. Each team's finish matched their highest finish in program history. The men scored 417 points, while the women scored 474, which was the highest total for the Penguin women ever at a conference championship meet.
Event Schedule
Wednesday, Feb. 19
1 p.m.
Men's 3m Diving (Prelims)
4:30 p.m.
Men's 3m Diving (Consolation Finals)
5:30 p.m.
200 Medley Relay
Men's 3m Diving (Finals)
800 Free Relay
Thursday, Feb.20
10 a.m.
Swimming Prelims
1 p.m.
Women's 1m Diving (Prelims)
4:30 p.m.
Women's 1m Diving (Consolation Finals)
5:30 p.m.
500 Free (Consolations and Finals)
200 IM (Consolations and Finals)
50 Free (Consolations and Finals)
Women's 1m diving (Finals)
200 Free Relay
Friday, Feb. 21
10 a.m.
Swimming Prelims
1 p.m.
Men's 1m diving (Prelims)
4:30 p.m.
Men's 1m Diving (Consolation Finals)
5:30 p.m.
100 Fly (Consolations and Finals)
400 IM (Consolations and Finals)
200 Free (Consolations and Finals)
100 Breast (Consolations and Finals)
100 Back (Consolations and Finals)
Men's 1m diving (Finals)
400 Medley Relay
Saturday, Feb. 17
10 a.m.
Swimming Prelims
12:30 p.m.
Women's 3m Diving (Prelims)
TBD
1650 Free (Early Heats)
4:30 p.m.
Women's 3m Diving (Consolation Finals)
5:30 p.m.
1650 Free
200 Back (Consolations and Finals)
100 Free (Consolations and Finals)
200 Breast (Consolations and Finals)
200 Fly (Consolations and Finals)
Women's 3m diving (Finals)
400 Free Relay
For live news and results throughout the Horizon League Championships, follow @YSUSwimDive on X.
