Results

DECORAH, Iowa – Saint John's swimming and diving opened 2025 with a first-place finish out of five teams on Saturday, Jan. 11, at Luther's Sprint Invitational.

The Johnnies won six events and registered 28 top-five finishes on the day for 772.5 points. The host Norse were second (703), followed by Nebraska Wesleyan (508), Iowa Central C.C. (297.5) and Iowa Western C.C. (223).

A pair of Johnnies won two individual events. Junior Brayden Slavik (Green Isle, Minn./Chaska) touched the wall first in the 500- (4:50.34) and 1,000-yard (9:50.11) freestyles, while senior Eli Grabinski (Sauk Rapids, Minn./Sauk Rapids-Rice) swept the diving events with wins in the 1- (268.00) and 3-meter (282.00) boards. 

Seniors Carter Larson (Sartell, Minn./Sartell-St. Stephen) and Colby Kern (Delano, Minn.) went 1 (1:47.05)-2 (1:48.34) in the 200-yard freestyle. Kern also took second in the 100-yard freestyle (48.80) and tied for third in the 50-yard butterfly (24.74), while Larson was third in the 500-yard freestyle (5:05.79).

Junior Clay Megaw (Monticello, Minn.) was second in both the 50- (27.99) and 100-yard (1:01.10) breaststrokes., and senior Langston Philion (Maple Grove, Minn.) touched the wall second in the 100-yard butterfly (55.27). Sophomore Cody Watts (St. Cloud, Minn./Tech) placed second in the 1-meter dive (254.35) and third in the 3-meter (222.35).

Junior Carsten Reuter (St. Cloud, Minn./Tech) led three Johnnies in succession with a third-place time of 22.17 in the 50-yard freestyle. Senior Liam Noble (Plymouth, Minn./Benilde-St. Margaret's) and Larson followed in fourth (22.52) and fifth (23.25), respectively. Noble also took second in the 50-yard butterfly (24.58).

SJU's 200-yard freestyle relay (Noble, Larson, Reuter, Kern) claimed first place in 1:28.43 and the 200-yard medley (Noble, Megaw, Philion, Reuter) was fourth (1:40.55).

The Johnnies host Division II St. Cloud State for a 1 p.m. dual meet next Saturday, Jan. 18, in the Warner Palaestra Pool.