INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The Oakland University men's and women's swimming and diving teams are once again Horizon League champions, as both teams clinched the title on Saturday at the IU Natatorium following numerous standout performances. With this year's sweep, the Golden Grizzlies extend their Horizon League Championship record to 13, having won every year since joining the conference.

The final day of competition featured the 1650 free, 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, 200 fly, men's three-meter dive, and the 400 free relay.

1650 FREE
In the longest event of the championship, the Oakland women placed four swimmers in the top eight after not having any finalists last season. Freshman Megan Donnelly finished second in 16:50.51, and sophomore Kelley Hassett took third in 16:59.04, completing a 2-3 finish. Junior Casey Sanders placed seventh, and junior Delaney Buckner was eighth.

The men's 1650 free produced an Oakland victory as freshman Cooper Dillman took first in 15:16.32, winning by more than five seconds. Senior Nicholas Karel Subagyo and freshman Victor Teeters also competed in the mile, placing fifth and sixth, respectively.

200 BACK
For the first time this championship, the Golden Grizzlies completed a 1-2-3 sweep in the women's 200 back. Freshman Lydia Soldatke captured her second backstroke title, winning in 1:55.88. Junior Clarissa Bezuidenhout and sophomore Grace Albrecht completed the sweep, with times of 1:56.78 and 1:59.12. 

Joining in the success, freshman Ajjuub Ezzat and junior Max Haney went first and second in the men's 200 back, giving Oakland five of the six top finishes between the two races. Ezzat earned his first individual victory in 1:42.42, with Haney close behind in 1:43.92. Juniors Eli Stoll and Andrew Gelston placed fourth and seventh.

100 FREE
In a photo-finish race, freshman Kendra Venter tied for second in the 100 free alongside an IU Indianapolis swimmer, touching in 50.34. Three more Golden Grizzlies reached the finals, with freshman Avery Beal, sophomore Viviane Partridge, and senior Erika Pietras placing fourth, sixth, and seventh.

For the second consecutive day, senior Harry Nicholson broke a record during the morning prelims. This time, he set a Horizon League mark with a 42.93 to earn the top seed in the men's 100 free. In the finals, he lowered his time again to 42.85, setting a new school record, but IU Indianapolis claimed the win and established a new Horizon League record.

Nicholson's runner-up finish led a strong group of Golden Grizzlies in the event. Fellow senior Charles Brown took third in 43.38, while senior Micah Scheffer and junior Joseph Countryman placed fourth and sixth.

200 BREAST
The women's 200 breast featured a 3-4-5 finish for Oakland. Freshman Charisse Hickham placed third with a time of 2:19.12, earning her first podium of the championship. Fourth and fifth went to underclassmen as well, with freshman Grace Aguilar-Fernandez and sophomore Maya Dobry securing the finishes.

After already punching his ticket to the NCAA Championships on Friday night, senior Christopher Palvadre aimed to earn a second individual invite in the men's 200 breast. He touched the boards in 1:54.08, setting a new school record and achieving the NCAA qualifying time, but finished second to IU Indianapolis, just missing out on an additional event at NCAAs. Junior Alex Lakin placed eighth in the event.

200 FLY AND MEN'S THREE-METER DIVE
In the women's 200 fly, senior Mia Englender and Donnelly qualified for the finals, finishing fourth and eighth. In the men's race, freshman Ike Martinez tied a 17-year-old school record, winning in 1:44.19 to match the program mark and set a new Horizon League record. Stoll and Gelston added seventh- and eighth-place finishes.

Freshman diver Owen Cox advanced to his second final of the championship, serving as Oakland's lone representative in the three-meter. Seeded fifth after prelims, he ultimately placed seventh in the finals.

400 FREE RELAY
To close out the championships, both Oakland relay teams delivered title-winning performances in the 400 free relay. The women's team of Venter, Partridge, Pietras, and Beal posted a 3:20.09 to win, setting both a school and Horizon League record. In similar fashion, the men's team of Nicholson, Countryman, Scheffer, and Brown claimed first in 2:52.30, also establishing school and Horizon League marks.

AWARDS
The Golden Grizzlies collected three awards at the conclusion of the meet. For the third year in a row, Oakland earned the Women's Freshman of the Meet honor. Soldatke joins Albrecht and Bezuidenhout in the Golden Grizzlies' three-peat of the award, with all three specializing in the backstroke events. Soldatke won the 100 and 200 back, finished runner-up in the 200 IM, helped the 400 medley relay to a runner-up finish, and contributed to a third-place finish in the 200 medley relay.

Oakland also claimed the Men's Freshman of the Meet, awarded to Dillman. He earned the honor by winning the 400 IM and 1650 free, and placing fifth in the 500 free.

For the second straight year, head coach Mitch Alters was named the Women's Swimming Coach of the Year, marking the second time he has earned the title in his three seasons at the helm. 

By the end of the meet, the Golden Grizzlies had won 17 events, finished runner-up in 16, placed third in 12, set 10 school records, established seven Horizon League records, and punched one ticket to the NCAA Championships.

With both teams winning the Horizon League Championship, the historic streak lives on. The men's swimming and diving program has now captured 48 consecutive conference titles, while the women have won 31 straight. Both teams remain undefeated in the Horizon League, having claimed the championship every year since joining the conference in 2013-14.

FINAL STANDINGS 
Women

1. Oakland: 896.5
2. Milwaukee: 641
3. IU Indianapolis: 530
4. Cleveland State: 442
5. Youngstown State: 430
6. Green Bay: 273.5
7. Northern Kentucky: 131

Men

1. Oakland: 904
2. IU Indianapolis: 785.5
3. Youngstown State: 494
4. Milwaukee: 438
5. Cleveland State: 191
6. Green Bay: 193
7. Northern Kentucky: 150.5

UP NEXT: While this meet concludes the team's season for Oakland swimming and diving, many athletes will continue competing. Zone Diving will take place March 9-11 at Eastern Michigan University. The CSCAA National Invitational Championship will feature numerous Golden Grizzlies from March 12-14 in Ocala, Florida. Finally, Palvadre will travel to Atlanta, Georgia, to compete at the Division I Swimming and Diving Championships, March 18-21.

Results and recaps from days one, two, and three can be found on goldengrizzlies.com.

How to Follow Oakland Swimming and Diving: For complete information on Oakland Swimming and Diving, follow the team on Instagram and on X at @OAK_swim_dive.