Mount Swim Finds Success at MAAC

Hanna Aggen

The Swimming and Diving teams made their way to the SPIRE Institute for the 2026 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championship, to walk away with multiple gold medal performances. During the meet that took place on the weekend of Feb. 14, both the men and women Mountaineers had successful meets, but the men were particularly triumphant. 

The team of Austin Toland (C’26), Parker Koenig (C’27), Lucas Hancock (C’27) and Adam Jozsa (C’29) became champions on day two of the meet in the 200 Freestyle relay. The win came after an exciting race against Iona University. Ultimately, the Mountaineers touched second with a time of 1:19.72, but after a long waiting period, an announcement was made that Iona had false started and would no longer be given the gold.  

This moment proved to be monumental for the Mountaineers. Toland, who had won the 50-yard Freestyle in 2024 said, “It was an unreal feeling for me as a senior, the last 2 years across the board in all relays we fell short and got second.” The senior has been a member of this relay for all four of his years with the Mount. At the 2025 championship, the team had gotten second in this event, with Toland, Hancock and Koenig all being on that team as well.  

Koenig expressed his feelings about this moment, “We were disappointed to be so close and then overcome with excitement when they announced the DQ,” the junior continued, “A DQ may not usually be a reason for celebration but in a sport like swimming where everything is determined by hundredths of seconds, it could mean everything.” This would not be Koenig’s first taste of victory during the championship. 

Hancock added to this, saying “Finishing the 200 free we were devastated getting out touched, fell short once again, but once we heard Iona DQ-ed we were so ecstatic.” Hancock had placed third in his individual 50-yard Freestyle earlier in the day for the second year in a row. He was the only male mountaineer to medal in the event, with Koenig coming in fourth. 

On the third day of the meet, Koenig felt victory again in his 100-yard Butterfly. After coming in second at the 2025 championships, the junior came into the meet not wanting to feel that disappointment again. “It was a surreal feeling” he expressed, “to finally accomplish something I have been working so hard for.” 

On the women’s side, they got their only relay medal of the meet in the 200 Freestyle relay, proving their dominance in the Freestyle events. Christina Lazari (C’26) and Eve Phillips (C’29) were both part of the A Final in the individual 50-yard Freestyle. They were both a part of the medal winning team along with Madison Murphy (C’26) and Theodora Kanellopoulou (C’28). The team touched second, with a time of 1:34.60, behind Niagara University.  

A major player was Carmen Del Aguila Martin (C’28). The sophomore brought home three individual medals and was a part of three of the team’s relays.  

Martin also broke two of her own school records in the 500-yard Freestyle and the 200-yard Freestyle. One of her individual medals was particularly special. On the final day of the championship, there were three Mountaineers in the women’s 100-yard Freestyle A-final.  

Lazari and Martin had been very close in the prelim earlier that day, with Lazari having a slight edge. In an exciting final race, the senior and the sophomore tied for third with a time of 51.30.  

Lazari remarked to Martin, “I wouldn’t have wanted to share this medal with anyone else.” Lazari will be competing at the CSCAA National Invitational Championship (NICs) in early March.  

Another major player for the men was Todor Gospodinov (C’29). Gospodinov was a part of three relays, including the 200 Medley relay which received a bronze medal. The freshman also medaled in his 200-yard Backstroke and was a finalist in his two other individual events.  

The Mount Swimming and Diving teams will send seven swimmers to NICs in early March to conclude their season.