Hickory, NC. - In the first half of the 2025-2026 season, the Wheeling University Men's Swimming team (7-2, 3-1) got off to a strong start, led by a young core. On Saturday, the team returned to the pool to kick-off the 2026 portion of their season with a trip to Lenoir-Rhyne University. Wheeling had seven swimmers earn individual second place finishes, but it wouldn't be enough as the Cardinals fell to the Bears 167-87.
Archie Pigott continued a great season with three top 2 finishes. Pigott's strength is in the breaststroke which has propelled him to being the 6th ranked swimmer in the Mountain East this season. He would swim in both breaststroke events on the day, with his strongest swim coming in the 200-Breaststroke, where he earned his lone individual win of the day. He would swim a time of 2:14.75, finishing as one of two Cardinals in the top three of the event. In the 100 Breaststroke, he would just miss out on the event's top spot, swimming a time of 1:02.80. His strength in breaststroke, which is typically a slower stroke gives him such an advantage in the Individual Medley, and he used that to his advantage. He would take second in the 200 IM, swimming a time of 2:04.14 to round out a strong start to 2026.
Wheeling was strong in the relay events on Saturday finishing 2nd in the 400 medley relay and the 200 free relay. Pigott swam a strong leg of the 400 medley relay and was accompanied by Aristeidis Dimakis, Meiko Schonekes, and Nathaniel Olivares putting up a time of 3:42.29. The second place 200 free team consisted of Segmen Duygen, Sarp Kilic, Thomas Currie, Patrick Kirby, who came together to swim a time of 1:32.09. Schonekes, Jordan Kraft, Kirby, and Oliviares all had individual 2nd place finishes, bringing the team's total to seven swimmers in the top two of their events. Kirby would bring home silver in the 200 Freestyle (1:55.67), followed by Kraft in the 200 Butterfly (2:21.92). Olivares would continue the success in sprint events, taking second in the 50 Freestyle (22.28), while Schonekes brought home silver in the 100 Butterfly (55.79).
Dimakis was one of four Cardinals to bring home a bronze medal, taking his second medal of the day in the 200 IM (2:04.14). Segmen Duygun would get the individual events started, taking third in the 1000 Freestyle (10:46.65), and Evan Yost added a bronze in the 100 Backstroke (1:00.10). Matthew Charlesworth was the final bronze medal winner for the Cardinals, earning the honor in the 100 Breaststroke with a time of 1:04.66. Levi Parker had a 4th place finish to round out the day, swimming the 200 Backstroke in 2:22.24.
The Wheeling University Men's Swimming team returns to action on Saturday, January 17th, when they travel to Fairmont State at 1 PM.
