Youngstown State University
at IU Indy / vs. Cleveland State
Spetz, Sweetman Lead Penguins in Season-Opening Meet
9/12/2026 10:27:00 PM | Swimming and Diving
Youngstown, Ohio — Nathan Spetz and Olivia Sweetman both posted a pair of third-place individual finishes as the Youngstown State men's and women's swimming and diving programs opened the 2026-27 season this Friday and Saturday at the IU Natatorium. The Penguins competed in a double dual against Horizon League schools IU Indy and Cleveland State to begin their era under head coach Hannah Saiz.
Spetz, a junior transfer from Cincinnati, finished third in the 500-yard freestyle and 400-yard IM in his first meet as a Penguin, clocking times of 4:39.25 and 4:06.04, respectively. Sweetman, last year's Swimmer of the Meet at the Horizon League Championships, began her junior campaign with third-place finishes in the 500 free (5:10.38) and 1,000 free (10:43.20).
"We had a strong season opener against IU Indy and Cleveland State, with many tough but exciting races," Sweetman said. With many new faces to our roster, everyone stepped up and swam and dove with grit, laying the foundation - including Coach Hannah and Coach Ron's first meet at Penguins. Everyone was on their feet cheering for teammates during their races races and dives, and it was a very exciting way to enter the season. We are looking forward to face Oakland on Oct. 2, to carry on the support network and enthusiasm we have created and continue to fight for the Y."
Andrew Miller, one of four YSU men's divers who competed in the opener, said, "This meet was special because it marked the beginning of what I believe can be a great season for our swimming and diving program. On the diving side, Coach Ron led us to consistency, teamwork, and building a strong foundation for the meets to come. With so much turnover within the past year, there were many questions about what our team dynamic would look like, but I could not be more proud of the energy, teamwork, and camaraderie we brought to this meet. I am super excited to call this team my Youngstown family, and I am excited to see what we can accomplish under the leadership of Coach Hannah, Coach Ron, Coach Noah, Coach Abby, Coach Crispy, and Coach Nick."
Senior Adrian Andres Moreno posted two top-five finishes for the men's team, notching a third-place finish in the 100 breast (56.56) and a fifth-place finish in the 200 breast (2:08.00). A pair of newcomers added top-five finishes as senior transfer Joey Chang placed third in the 100 free (45.60), and freshman Henry Geitz was fifth in the 1,000 free (9:59.95).
For the women, sophomore Chloe Moore had a team-high three top-five finishes, placing third in the 100 free (53.46), fifth in the 50 free (24.32) and fifth in the 100 fly (59.40). Freshman Lily Ho had a strong start to her collegiate career, placing third in the 200 IM (2:10.65) and fifth in the 200 free (1:57.05), while freshmen Tova Axelsson (4:46.04) and Isobel Munnoch (4:46.81) placed fourth and fifth in the 400 IM. Derin Donmez placed third in the 200 fly (2:13.02), and Lara Lilic added a fifth-place finish in the 1,000 free (11:02.90).
In the team results, Youngstown State's men fell 285-49 to IU Indy and 272-62 to Cleveland State. The Penguins' women's team lost 244-86 to IU Indy and 266-68 to Cleveland State.
Youngstown State's next meet will be at Oakland on Oct. 2-3. For information throughout the season, follow @ysuswimdive on Instagram, Facebook and X.
