ST. GEORGE, Utah - The Concordia University Irvine men's swim team projected to have the most points on the final day of the PCSC Championships and needed every one of them as they edged the 2020 champs, UCSC 731 to 729.5 to claim the conference title! 
 
This marks the second PCSC title for Concordia men's swim and dive in four years.  The program joins the CUI softball program as the first two teams for the school to win multiple conference titles so far in the school's NCAA DII era.
 
To add to the drama, the defending champs from Biola scored 727 making it a three-way race to the last event. 
 
The CUI women put on a heck of a show themselves the last two days highlighted by freshman Ryan Burke's PCSC title in the 200 fly on Saturday.  The ladies scored 651 points to easily distance themselves from Alaska Fairbanks (405.5) and secure 6th place for the Green and Gold in the 15-team meet.
 
CUI senior Kyle Benjamin won his 10th individual PCSC title in winning the 1650 free by nearly 30 seconds.  The time is his second-best ever and is another NCAA qualifying time.  It has been an astounding career for Kyle who expects to be invited to the NCAA Championships next month.  
 
Jon Sutherlin (6th, 16:25.29, 6th all-time at CUI) and Joey Molettieri (7th, 16:56.88) rounded out the A-final scoring in the mile (1650 free) for the Eagles.  The women were led by Jade Hughes 12th place and Kendall Ruberio who slid into 13th as both made impressive charges from back in the field around the 1000 yard mark.  This event got things started for CUI and you could sense that something good was coming.  
 
Freshman Ryan Burke electrified Eagle fans in attendance as she steadily built on a lead at the 75-yard mark to pull away from the field to win the women's 200 butterfly (2:05.23 and NCAA qualifying!).  It was a dominating two-second victory for Burke.  Senior Valeria Ugaz also saved her best 200 fly for her final career event as she posted a 2:13.44, earning 2nd team All-PCSC honors with her 14th place finish.
 
The men's 200 back was a tough one in prelims for the Eagles but the foursome more than made up for it in finals.  Lanis Webb led the way with a PR of 1:53.58 good for 4th place as he moved up from the 7th seed.  Even with a broken finger sustained in his prelim swim, Thatcher Grooms moved from 8th to 7th and put down a PR of his own.  Team co-captain Braeden Glor and Jon Sutherlin (on about 15 minutes rest after the mile) held their seeds (12th, 13th as UCSC swimmers fell back).
 
Georgia Caraway and Faith Silzel got the women moving in the 200 back with 2:08.19p and 2:08.66p swims that earned them 12th and 13th place finishes in the B-final.  Both women finaled in each of the three events they swim in this week and were instrumental on relays as well.  
 
The men's 100 free was a big momentum changer for CUI as Alberto Cortes blasted a PR, NCAA qualifying 45.22 for 3rd place and teammate Chris Haygood hit the pad a split second later (45.47) for 4th place.  In the B-final, Andrew Dimino and one of the many "men of the hour" Tim Townsend went 1-2 (9th and 10th) as Tim dropped 3/4 of a second to move from the 14th seed.  Albe and Chris are now No. 5 and No. 8 all-time at CUI.
 
The women were led by Hailey Garcia's 15th place effort (52.74p, PR), Sara Jones 18th place finish (53.25 PR) and Amelia Brady's 53.98 PR good for 21st.  Garcia is now the 6th fastest performer in the 100 free with that swim. This spring crew has enjoyed a solid year and their development will generate a lot of success going forward!
 
If the 100 free was the momentum changer, then the women's and men's 200 breaststrokes were the STATEMENT events for CUI.  The women placed a whopping FIVE athletes into the final with Isabella Garritano (2:26.99, 9^th, No. 5 all-time), Hannah Chabin (2:30.09p, 13th, PR), Ellie Hardey (2:30.81p, 15th), Jade Hughes (2:31.21, 16th) and Paloma Banto (2:30.45, 18th, PR).
 
The men were next and another five Eagles made it into the finals as this event marked the first time the Eagles were atop the standings in the four-day meet. Hunter May led the way with a 2:05.18 swim for 3rd place (No. 8 all-time). Jack Harris was next at 2:05.61p (4th, PR, No. 9 all-time), followed by team co-captain Ryan Martines (2:08.80, 7th), senior Armando Cadena, (2:13.96, 13th) and freshman Garrison Veron (2:18.94, 15th).
 
Jayden Hernandez got out fast and held on as long as he could to grab his second podium finish in two days with his 3rd place in the 200 butterfly.  He swam to a 1:53.763p, earning the 8th fastest swim all-time.  
 
The women's 400 free relay of Faith Silzel, Sara Jones, Amelia Brady and Hailey Garcia gave it all they had to close out the meet.  Their 3:34.10 earned them a 6th place finish and the 8th fastest time in CUI history.
 
The men's relay had the makings of a great Hollywood drama.  The Eagles needed to beat Biola and UCSC and needed BU to defeat UCSC to take the title.  CUI was only looking forward and wanted a shot at the dominating FPU relay.  Through 275 yards, CUI was leading the race after outstanding swims from Chris Haygood and Alberto Cortes.  Andrew Dimino and anchorman Kyle Benjamin put down PRs as the Eagles erupted for a 3:02.09 second place finish.  That is the 5th fastest swim in CUI history.  CUI became Biola fans for about a minute as the other Eagles held off the Slugs by 1 second and with that, a second PCSC crown in four years was headed to Irvine!
 
The men have finished first, second, secodnd and now first in the last four seasons and the women have been 6th, 5th, 4th and now 6th.  With a strong senior class departing, the Eagles will look to the huge freshmen and sophomore classes as well as the outstanding recruiting class that has been signed to continue the success they've worked so hard to earn.  
 
"I am exceptionally proud of the resilience of this team, their growth as men and women, their emerging faith and willingness to trust in Him for what they have been able to achieve," said CUI head coach Bert Bergen.  "They accepted a lot of changes with new staff members, the ongoing challenges in the COVID-world, and they just learned to enjoy each other.  The last 13 months have been at times crushing, frustrating, painful, and anxiety-inducing but ultimately joyful.  The feeling we all have tonight is indescribable.  I'm very happy for every one of the kids who worked so hard this week and all season."

For a Look Back at the entire PCSC Championships Check Out the Following Story Recaps:

Day 1 - CUI Swimmers Repeat As PCSC Champs in 800 Free Relay

Day 2 - CUI Quartet Sets New School Record At PCSC Championships

Day 3  - Benjamin & Hernandez Earn Gold To Pace CUI Swimmers