Saint John's swimming and diving hosts Division II St. Cloud State for a 1 p.m. dual meet this Saturday, Jan. 18, in the Warner Palaestra Pool. – Live Video

A LOOK AT THE JOHNNIES: Saint John's opened 2025 with a first-place finish out of five teams last Saturday (Jan. 11) at Luther's Sprint Invitational in Decorah, Iowa. 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).

MIAC ATHLETES OF THE WEEK: Slavik and Grabinski were named the MIAC Men's Swimming and Diving Athletes of the Week, respectively, on Tuesday (Jan. 14) for their performances last Saturday at Luther. Slavik currently holds the MIAC's top time in the 500- (4:34.69), 1,000- (9:37.89) and 1,650-yard (15:54.60) freestyles, as well as the 100-yard backstroke (51.88) and 400-yard individual medley (4:05.58); is second in the 50- (24.44) and 200-yard (1:54.76) backstrokes; and fifth in the 200-yard freestyle (1:45.26). The weekly accolade is the fifth for Slavik, who is a four-time All-MIAC honoree and the defending conference champion in the 400-yard individual medley and 1,650-yard freestyle. He owns the program records in the 500- (4:32.97), 1,000- (9:30.45) and 1,650-yard (15:48.67) freestyles.

The MIAC weekly honor is the 11th for Grabinski, who is a three-time MIAC Men's Diver of the Year and four-time MIAC champion. He qualified for the NCAA Regionals in the 1-meter dive in Oct. 18's season-opening win over Minnesota-Morris and achieved the feat on the 3-meter board Oct. 26 at Macalester. The NCAA appearance will be Grabinski's fourth later this winter.

LAST YEAR: SJU suffered a 175-97 loss last Jan. 18 (2024) at St. Cloud State. The Johnnies won one event – Slavik in the 500-yard freestyle (4:51.64) – and recorded 19 top-five finishes. Slavik also placed fourth in the 200-yard freestyle (1:47.63).

Grabinski took second in both the 1- (266.15) and 3-meter (272.85) dives, while Watts  followed in fifth (227.20 and 191.95, respectively).

Larson collected a trio of top-three finishes on the night: second in the 200-yard freestyle (1:45.56) and third in both the 50- (22.28) and 100-yard (48.10) freestyles.

Megaw claimed second in the 200-yard breaststroke (2:17.07) and third in the 100-yard version (1:00.94), while Philion finished third in the 200-yard butterfly (2:05.16) and fifth in the 200-yard individual medley (2:09.95).

Three other upperclassmen finished third: Alex Heer '24  in the 200-yard backstroke (2:05.87); Kern in the 200-yard individual medley (2:04.49); and senior Connor Thayer (Prior Lake, Minn.) in the 500-yard freestyle (5:05.44).

Noble  made his 2023-24 debut after studying abroad in Greece this fall and finished fourth in the 50-yard freestyle (22.54).

Brogan O'Donnel '24 and senior Jake Tschida (Mendota Heights, Minn./Henry Sibley) took fifth in the 200-yard breaststroke (2:28.19) and 100-yard butterfly (57.19), respectively.

IN THE MIAC: SJU currently boasts 33 top-10 times in the MIAC so far this season, including 20 in the top five.

50-Yard Freestyle
3. Liam Noble, 21.30
4. Carsten Reuter, 21.31
7. Colby Kern, 21.59
8. Carter Larson, 21.65
9. Brayden Slavik, 21.80

100-Yard Freestyle
1. Carter Larson, 46.32
3. Liam Noble, 46.87
5. Colby Kern, 47.36
7. Brayden Slavik, 47.48
8. Carsten Reuter, 47.50

200-Yard Freestyle
1. Carter Larson, 1:42.58
4. Colby Kern, 1:44.09
5. Brayden Slavik, 1:45.26
8. Carsten Reuter, 1:46.53

500-Yard Freestyle
1. Brayden Slavik, 4:34.69
2. Carter Larson, 4:42.14
9. Connor Thayer, 4:58.76

1,000-Yard Freestyle
1. Brayden Slavik, 9:37.89
2. Carter Larson, 10:13.50

1,650-Yard Freestyle
1. Brayden Slavik, 15:54.60
8. Connor Thayer, 17:43.68

50-Yard Backstroke
1. Liam Noble, 24.31
2. Brayden Slavik, 24.44

100-Yard Backstroke
1. Brayden Slavik, 51.88
5. Liam Noble, 52.89

200-Yard Backstroke
2. Brayden Slavik, 1:54.76

100-Yard Breaststroke
8. Clay Megaw, 1:00:21

100-Yard Butterfly
4. Liam Noble, 51.81
7. Langston Philion, 52.79
8. Colby Kern, 53.36

200-Yard Butterfly
7. Langston Philion, 2:01.64

400-Yard Individual Medley
1. Brayden Slavik, 4:05:58
9. Langston Philion, 4:27.40