Egan Leads Iona Swim at Day 1 of NIC Meet

OCALA, FL - Junior Kieran Egan paced the Iona men's contingent to a strong start at the 2026 National Invitational Championships in Ocala, Florida, on Thursday. The meet, sponsored by the College Swim Coaches Association of America, features more than 60 teams from across the United States representing over a dozen conferences.

The Sunnyside, NY native anchored the 200-yard Freestyle Relay quartet of Harry Platt (20.98), Nick Patino (19.73), Nate Wales (19.77), and Egan (19.72) to a seventh-place finish and a school record time of 1:20.20. The previous mark of 1:20.73 was set at the 2024 MAAC Championships in Geneva, Ohio, by the team of Michael Faughnan, Wales, Patino, and Liam Pyatt.

Egan also reached the finals of the 50-yard Backstroke, posting a 22.02 for fifth place, and later returned to take 15th in the 50-yard Freestyle with a 20.30.

Classmate Noah Giunta finished 17th in the 200-yard Individual Medley with a time of 1:50.50.

In the 400-yard Medley Relay, Owen Znachowski (50.54), Max Buchen (56.80), Giunta (49.72), and Platt combined for 23rd place with a time of 3:21.86.

Other Iona men competing included Buchen, who was 43rd in the 50-yard Breaststroke at 26.43; Wyatt Julian, 31st in the 50-yard Backstroke at 23.06; Patino, 27th in the 50-yard Freestyle at 20.46; and Wales, who finished 24th in the 50-yard Backstroke at 22.87 and 36th in the 50-yard Freestyle at 20.75.

On the women's side Sophomore Raegan O'Brien made her first NIC appearance with a career best time trial effort in the 500-Free at 5:09.39 as did freshmen Victoria Mordaunt in the 50-Butterfly at 25.18. Mordaunt also was 39th in the 50-Breaststroke at 29.59.

In the team standings, Queens University (298.5), Ohio State (237.5), Grand Canyon (197.5), Duke (147), George Washington (139), and Kentucky (135.5) hold the top six spots. The Iona men sit in 18th place with 79.5 points.

MAAC rivals Marist (49), Niagara (43), and Mount Saint Mary's (42) are currently 22nd, 23rd, and 24th, respectively.

Day two of the three-day meet at the Florida Aquatic Swimming and Training Center resumes at 9:30 a.m. with the 400-yard Individual Medley, 100-yard Butterfly, 200-yard Freestyle, 100-yard Breaststroke, 100-yard Backstroke, and the 800-yard Freestyle Relay.

Print Friendly Version