The 2025 edition of the National Invitational Championship in Ocala, Florida got off to a strong start for the Iona Men's team with a pair of big relay efforts and a sixth place finish by Sophomore Kieran Egan in the 50-yard Backstroke.
 
The meet, held at the Florida Aquatic Swim Center in Ocala, Florida and sponsored by the College Swim Coaches Association of America has 3 days of competition and features 57 teams competing from as far west as Seattle to Texas, Maine and Florida.
 
The Iona men started off the meet with a tenth place finish in the 200-Freestyle Relay as Kieran Egan (20.47), Nick Patino (20.56), Nate Wales (19.49) and Mikel Palaj combined for a 1:20.89 clocking, just .14 over the team record. Sophomore Wales' split was the best in Iona history.
 
Egan later returned to move up from a preliminary tenth place to sixth in the 50-Backstroke with a 22.13 clocking.
 
The Iona quartet of Michael Faughnan (Backstroke, 46.61); Matthew Loftus (Breaststroke, 54.97); Harry Summers (50.59, Butterfly); and, Nate Wales (Freestyle, 43.71) placed thirteenth at 3:15.88.
 
The day 1 standings find Iona in fifteenth with 74-points. Ohio State (241), Queens University (223) and Grand Canyon hold the top 3 spots in the 57-team field.
 
The meet continues Friday with action in the 400-Indiviudal Medley, 100-Butterfly, 200-Freestyle, 100-Breaststroke, 100-Backstroke and 200-Medley and 800-Freestle Relay.
 
Full Results can be found at https://www.cscaa.org/nic with a live stream at https://www.youtube.com/@FASTFlorida/streams