CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The Nebraska Wesleyan men's and women's swimming teams made waves on the opening day of the 2025 American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) Championships at Coe College, combining for four conference records. The Prairie Wolves sit in second place in both the men's and women's team standings after a strong start to the three-day meet.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Women's Highlights
The Nebraska Wesleyan women's team set the tone early, claiming gold in the 200 Freestyle Relay with a blistering time of 1:35.90, breaking both the A-R-C Championship and All-Time conference records. The quartet of Beatrice Massa Micon, Hannah Gibbs, Elena Lazzaretto, and Lydi O'Neil showcased their speed and chemistry, delivering a dominant performance to kick off the finals session.
O'Neil continued her stellar day with a second-place finish in the 50 Freestyle, clocking in at 23.71, just behind Luther's Mia Prater.
In the 200 IM, Elena Lazzaretto secured a silver medal with a time of 2:11.78, finishing behind Loras' Anna Durak.
The Prairie Wolves closed out the night in style, winning the 400 Medley Relay in 3:58.40, another A-R-C Championship record. The team of Lilly Brennan, Ava Hunt, Sydney Leslie, and Lydi O'Neil showcased their depth and versatility.
Men's Highlights
The Nebraska Wesleyan men's team also made their presence felt, starting with a second-place finish in the 200 Freestyle Relay. The team of Mattia Rosatelli, Dylan Fucik, Brodie Hoesing, and Kai Trotman posted a time of 1:26.23, just behind Luther's record-setting squad.
Freshman Zachary Cantorna had a breakout performance, winning the 500 Freestyle with a time of 4:40.89, breaking his own conference record set earlier in the prelims. Teammate Jaryd Holton joined him on the podium, securing third place with a time of 4:48.67.
Rosatelli continued his dominance in the 200 IM, defending his title with a time of 1:53.01, resetting his own championship record from last year. His performance highlighted the Prairie Wolves' strength in individual events.
In the 50 Freestyle, Kai Trotman earned a bronze medal with a time of 21.12, finishing behind Luther's Kevin Kretz.
The men's team capped off the night with a second-place finish in the 400 Medley Relay. The team of Zachary Cantorna, Mattia Rosatelli, Alec Zurn, and Brodie Hoesing demonstrated their depth and determination, keeping the Prairie Wolves within striking distance of Luther in the team standings.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
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4 A-R-C Championship Records: Nebraska Wesleyan athletes set new conference marks in the women's 200 Free Relay, women's 400 Medley Relay, men's 500 Free, men's 200 IM.
- Team Standings: The NWU women sit in second with 162 points, trailing Luther (218). The men are also in second with 176 points, behind Luther (208).
UP NEXT
Day 2 of the A-R-C Championships begins Friday, February 21, with prelims at 10:00 AM and finals at 5:30 PM. Events include the 200 Medley Relay, 400 IM, 100 Butterfly, 200 Freestyle, 100 Breaststroke, 100 Backstroke, and 800 Freestyle. The Prairie Wolves will look to build on their strong start as they chase team titles and more conference records.
