DECORAH, Iowa – The Loras College men's and women's swimming and diving teams competed the 2024 American Rivers Conference Championships over the weekend. The men placed third in the five-team field with 483 points, while the women were fourth with 231 points. Nebraska Wesleyan was victorious on the men's side with 627.5 team points, while Luther was crowned champions on the women's side with 778 points.
In all, the Duhawks achieved two event titles and 13 All-Conference performances.
Caden Gillmore was spectacular over the meet, as the sophomore out of Greeley, Colo. took home both of Loras' gold medals and set two A-R-C Championship records in the process with his times in the 200 and 500-yard freestyles. On the first day of the Championships, Gillmore closed out the 500 free with a time of 4:44.31, edging out his opponent in second by over two seconds. In the 200 free, Gillmore posted a time of 1:42.52.
Gillmore went on to earn All-Conference honors in five other events, as he finished second in the 200-yard butterfly and as part of the 200-yard freestyle, 200-yard medley, 400-yard medley, and 400-yard freestyle relay squads. Of the five relay teams that earned All-Conference honors, Gillmore was tied with
Will Larson,
Luke Czeryba, and
Brad LaGrange for the team-lead in honors with four.
Others to earn All-Conference honors included
Cainan Lovan (3M diving – 3
rd),
Brian Day (breaststroke – 3
rd),
Gabriel Ibanez (800-yard free relay – 3
rd), Alex Dvorak (800-yard free relay – 3
rd), and
Austin Jorgensen (800-yard free relay – 3
rd).
On the women's side,
Maria Eide led the way with two All-Conference honors after placing third in the 200-yard backstroke and third as part of the 400-yard medley relay squad consisting of
Emma Pajtash,
Emma Nelson, and
Annie Quinn.
All-A-R-C Duhawks
Men
200 Free Relays:
Will Larson,
Brad LaGrange,
Caden Gillmore,
Luke Czeryba (2
nd)
500 Free:
Caden Gillmore (1
st)
50 Free:
Will Larson (2
nd)
3M Diving:
Cainan Lovan (3
rd)
400 Medley Relay:
Will Larson,
Brian Day,
Caden Gillmore,
Brad LaGrange (3
rd)
200 Medley Relay:
Will Larson,
Luke Czeryba,
Caden Gillmore,
Brad LaGrange (3
rd)
200 Free:
Caden Gillmore (1
st)
800 Free Relay:
Luke Czeryba,
Gabriel Ibanez, Alex Dvorak,
Austin Jorgensen (3
rd)
200 Breaststroke:
Brian Day (3
rd)
200 Butterfly:
Caden Gillmore (2
nd)
400 Free Relay:
Luke Czeryba,
Caden Gillmore,
Brad LaGrange,
Will Larson (3
rd)
Women
400 Medley Relay:
Maria Eide,
Emma Pajtash,
Emma Nelson,
Annie Quinn (3
rd)
200 Backstroke:
Maria Eide (3
rd)
Final Team Scores
Men
Nebraska Wesleyan – 627.5
Luther College – 578
Loras College – 483
Simpson College – 72.5
Coe College – 22
Women
Luther College – 778
Nebraska Wesleyan – 428
Coe College – 318
Loras College - 231
Simpson College - 188
