Both the men’s and women’s swim teams dominated yet again, as they grabbed their seventh straight RMAC championship. Both the men’s and women’s teams from Colorado Mesa University (CMU) dominated the RMAC Swimming & Diving Championships. Over the five day meet, the Mavericks delivered an extraordinary performance, securing 27 gold medals and 62 total podium finishes across 42 events. Their outstanding efforts led to a commanding championship victory, finishing well ahead of the competition.
The No 1. Nationally ranked Mesa’s women’s team showcased their depth and talent, dominating from start to finish. Mesa accumulated an astounding 1,934 points, leaving second-place Simon Fraser far behind with 1,194.
Junior Agata Naskret, had one of the best weeks in Maverick lore.. She broke the RMAC Championship and El Pomar Natatorium records in the 200-yard backstroke. Her performance was a pivotal factor in CMU’s victory, and she capped off the meet by leading the Mavericks’ record-setting 400 freestyle relay team.
Naskret earned six gold medals and one silver, breaking three individual RMAC records and three relay records along the way. Her dominance solidifies her as one of the top swimmers in the nation and a key asset for the Mavs at the upcoming NCAA Division II Championships.
“You know the most important thing for us is to just support each other and have this mentality that obviously it’s going to be hard, but also that’s how it’s going to be at nationals. So this is just a preparation for what is going to happen in March,” said Naskret.
Throughout the meet, the women’s team showcased remarkable depth, capturing 14 victories in 21 individual events. Their success was highlighted by consistent excellence in the water and a strong relay showing. CMU’s women not only won, but set new standards in the conference.
“At the beginning, we were struggling, but then we had a meeting and talked about how we could improve. After that, we got better every single day,” Naskret said.
The Mesa men’s team extended its reign with another dominant victory, finishing with 1,104 points—nearly 300 points ahead of second-place Colorado School of Mines (816.5). This marked the men’s ninth RMAC title, continuing their legacy as one of the most successful teams in the conference.
“This year knowing that we could have won our seven year straight, that’s obviously a little exciting and nerve wracking. You have to trust the guys who are on the scoring team and the work that you have put in so far. This is one of those sports where you grind and you grind, and you get to show what you have after all that work,” said senior Andrew Scoggin.
Redshirt-senior Kuba Kiszczak was one of the stars of the meet, securing the 100-yard and 200-yard freestyle titles. He posted a career-best time of 44.72 seconds in the 100-yard freestyle, leading a Mavericks’ sweep of the top three spots. Senior Austin Patterson (44.73) finished just one-hundredth of a second behind Kiszczak, with sophomore Jameson McEnaney placing third (44.93). Kiszczak finished the meet with five victories.
Despite their overall win, the men’s team faced major challenges before and during the meet, with key athletes battling illness and injury. One of their toughest obstacles was requalifying relay teams for nationals, requiring significant team-wide effort and support.
\\ Shelby Streeter for The Criterion
Scoggin delivered when it mattered most, anchoring the 400-yard freestyle relay team to a championship-winning time of 2:56.38, securing their spot at nationals. Teammates Kiszczak, Richard Schmiedefeld and McEnaney also delivered clutch performances, reinforcing the Mavericks’ relay dominance. The men’s 200-yard freestyle relay team also punched their ticket to nationals, proving that the Mavs thrive under pressure.
“The length of the meet, five days, nine sessions, it really takes its toll. Learning to manage yourself physically, emotionally and mentally through such a long event takes time. We always tell the team there are three things you can control: your attitude, your effort and your process,” said head coach Mickey Wender.
In men’s diving, junior Wyatt Hermanson captured the 1-meter diving title with 574.70 points, leading for another Mavericks podium sweep alongside sophomore Jax Juarros (563.75) and junior Ryan Campbell (542.45). Hermanson and Campbell were named RMAC Men’s Divers of the Meet after their stellar performances.
On the women’s side, Kenya Meyer continued her dominance, winning both the 1-meter and 3-meter events. Meyer set new RMAC, school and pool records in the 3-meter event, showcasing her excellence in the diving scene. Her victories earned her RMAC Women’s Diver of the Meet honors and played a crucial role in the Mav’s overall success.
With the RMAC Championships behind them, Mesa now turns its attention to the biggest meet of the year 2025 NCAA Division II Swimming & Diving Championships, taking place March 11-15 in Indianapolis. The women’s team will certainly be on a mission, after their record-breaking RMAC performance, and an amazing second-place finish at last year’s nationals. For the men, they look to prove they’re among the nation’s best, after losing last year’s DII swimmer of the year Ben Sampson. Sampson left CMU for Division I University of Texas last spring.
