Mustangs End 2025 with New Records and Top Spot at Roger Ahlman Invite

ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Morningside University men's swimming and diving team dominated the Roger Ahlman Invite on Dec. 5–6, winning the meet with 944 points behind a deep roster that swept all five relays, collected a long list of individual victories, and reset a handful of Morningside records in the process.

The Mustangs opened with a new record and a win in the 400-yard medley relay, where Santiago Vilches, Justin Bay, Pedro Fernandes, and John Spicer clocked 3:25.05 to set the tone early. The Mustangs later closed the meet with the foursome of Vilches, Fernandes, Jack LaRue, and Spicer winning the 400-yard freestyle relay in 3:09.17.

Vilches set a tone for Morningside with two individual victories and school records, winning the 200 IM (1:56.30) and the 200 backstroke in 1:52.44. 

Spicer swept the sprint freestyle events, taking the 50 free in 21.33 seconds, setting a school record in the 100 free in 45.50, and adding a win in the 200 free (1:42.64). 

Bay added a title of his own in the 100 butterfly in 50.65 and was runner up in the 200-yard backstroke (1:56.42) behind Vilches

Fernandes contributed consistently with top-three individual finishes — including third in the 50 free and second in the 100 fly.

Freshman Melle van Veen delivered key mid-distance performances, including second in the 200 IM and in the 500 free. Jake Bolda finished as the runner-up in the 1650 free (17:30.26) and added another second place in the 400 IM (4:25.16).

Morningside returns to the pool in 2026, with a pair of duals in the Hindman-Hobbs Center to end the regular season before the Mustangs head to the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Championships in February.