GRINNELL, Iowa - The Nebraska Wesleyan men's and women's swimming teams delivered a statement performance at the Grinnell Invitational, finishing second on the women's side and fourth on the men's side against a deep, multi-level field Friday and Saturday in Grinnell, Iowa. Across two days of competition, the Prairie Wolves combined for 10 event titles, two program records and one meet record in one of the strongest meets of the 2025-26 season to date.
HOW IT HAPPENED
From the opening relays through the final distance events, Nebraska Wesleyan was in contention throughout the meet, piling up points with both depth and elite performances.
The Prairie Wolf women put together one of their most complete team efforts of the season, finishing second out of 11 teams with 718 points. Nebraska Wesleyan trailed host Grinnell but finished comfortably ahead of the rest of the field, which included NAIA, Division II and Division III programs.
Beatrice Massa Micon anchored the women's effort with a dominant weekend that included two individual event titles and a program record. She won the 100 freestyle in 51.99 and captured the 100 backstroke in 58.09, a time that set a new Nebraska Wesleyan program record and currently ranks among the national top 100 in NCAA Division III. Massa Micon was also a key contributor on multiple relay squads.
Elena Lazzaretto continued the record-setting theme, winning the 100 individual medley in a program-record time of 59.77. Lazzaretto was also a critical piece of several relay victories as Nebraska Wesleyan stacked points across the meet.
Lydi O'Neil added one of the weekend's signature performances in the sprint events. Her preliminary swim of 23.85 in the 50 freestyle set a new Grinnell Invitational meet record, and she followed it up by winning the event in finals. O'Neil also figured prominently in multiple relay wins.
Haylee Nebola delivered an individual title of her own, winning the 200 backstroke, and joined Massa Micon, Lazzaretto and O'Neil as a consistent high-point scorer throughout the meet.
Nebraska Wesleyan's relay units were the difference-maker in the team race, accounting for a significant portion of the Prairie Wolves' scoring surge. The 800 freestyle relay team of Massa Micon, Sophia Daigle, Nebola and Lilli Spady claimed first place with a time of 8:06.63. The 200 freestyle relay of Massa Micon, Hannah Gibbs, Lazzaretto and O'Neil won in 1:36.31, while the 400 medley relay of Nebola, Lazzaretto, Sydnie Leslie and O'Neil touched first in 3:59.28. The 200 medley relay of Massa Micon, Lazzaretto, Gibbs and O'Neil also captured gold in 1:48.20, and the 400 freestyle relay of Massa Micon, Lazzaretto, Lizzie Meyer and O'Neil closed out another relay win in 3:34.29.
On the men's side, Nebraska Wesleyan finished fourth out of nine teams with 489 points in a tightly contested field that featured several nationally competitive programs.
Zachary Cantorna led the Prairie Wolf men with a strong weekend in the distance and middle-distance freestyle events. Cantorna placed second in the 1,650 freestyle with a time of 16:33.75 and turned in solid swims in the 500 freestyle (4:46.26) and 200 freestyle (1:46.46). He also added a podium contribution as the leadoff leg on the 200 medley relay, splitting 24.76.
Mattia Rosatelli provided key points in the breaststroke events, swimming the 200 breaststroke in 2:07.06 and the 100 breaststroke in 57.52, both among his best performances of the season.
The Prairie Wolves showed depth in the individual medley, with Jaryd Holton finishing fourth in the 400 IM in 4:21.41, while Ben Miller won the B final and placed 10th overall with a time of 4:32.73.
UP NEXT
Nebraska Wesleyan returns to the pool on Saturday, January 24, traveling across the border into Iowa for a dual meet against Morningside.
