Forget everything you thought you knew about college swimming because Stanford just dropped a BOMB at the SMU Invite! Their men's team absolutely shattered a pool record in the 800 free relay, notching an NCAA qualifying time in the process. The atmosphere was electric at the Robson & Lindley Aquatic Center in Dallas, Texas, as the SMU Invite got underway on Wednesday, November 19th, 2025. The first day featured only two relay events – the 200 medley relay and the 800 free relay – but the performances were anything but small. The competition runs through November 22nd, featuring teams like SMU, Hawaii, Drury, Utah, Arkansas (women only), Air Force (men only), North Texas (women only), and Stanford (men only).
Stanford's quartet of Ethan Ekk, Andres Dupont Cabrera, Jason Zhao, and Henry McFadden blazed through the 800 free relay in a stunning 6:13.35. But here's where it gets controversial... Can anyone challenge Stanford's dominance this season? Their time wasn't just fast; it demolished the previous pool record of 6:14.62, set by SMU at last year's invite. Freshman Ethan Ekk led the charge with an incredible 1:33.45 leadoff split, a personal best by .04 seconds, and secured his first NCAA qualifying time – a massive achievement for a newcomer!
SMU, swimming on their home turf, put up a valiant fight, finishing second in 6:16.30. The Mustangs' team comprised Francis Brennan, Sungail, Jack Forrest, and Chateigner. Freshman Francis Brennan also snagged his first-ever NCAA cut, leading off in 1:33.92, shaving over a second off his previous best (1:35.14). It's always exciting to see young talent emerge, and Brennan's performance certainly turned heads.
And this is the part most people miss... Stanford's victory in the 800 free relay wasn't their only triumph of the night! They also dominated the men's 200 medley relay, posting the only sub-1:24 time in the field. Ethan Harrington, Zhier Fan, Rafael Gu, and Jonathan Tan combined for a winning time of 1:23.80, outclassing SMU's 1:24.51. The Mustangs actually secured both second and third place in that event, with Thad Austin, Trey Clervi, Nico Sobenes, and Ward Lockhart taking second, and Jack Berube, Kristaps Mikelsons, Sage Sungail, and Benjamin Chateigner finishing third.
Turning to the women's competition, the meet commenced with a nail-biting victory for the host team in the 200 medley relay. SMU's Jimena Leal, Izzy Krantzcke, Maddy Parker, and Summer Osborne touched the wall in 1:38.25, a mere .06 seconds ahead of Hawaii (1:38.31!). Talk about a close call! Arkansas rounded out the top three with a time of 1:38.55, the only other team to break the 1:40 barrier. Their team: Tammy Greenwood, Lindy Hunter, Alice Beltrame, and Harriet Rogers.
Greenwood and Rogers quickly returned to the pool for the 800 free relay, joining forces with Sydney Craft and Viola Petrini to secure a win for Arkansas in 7:07.45. It was a hard-fought battle against SMU's Osborne, Parker, Karly Boles, and Madeleine Hebert, who finished close behind in 7:08.27. Utah's team of Erin Palmer, Isabella Riso, Ella Derby, and Sydney Even claimed third place in 7:19.21.
Here's a snapshot of the team scores after Day 1:
Women:
- Arkansas – 126
- Utah – 102
- SMU – 92
- Drury – 86
- Hawaii – 82
- North Texas – 56
Men:
- SMU – 126
- Utah – 110
- Stanford – 106
- Drury – 102
- Air Force – 70
- Hawaii – 46
So, what do you think? Is Stanford's performance a sign of things to come for the rest of the season? And how will SMU respond after a strong showing on their home turf? Drop your predictions and thoughts in the comments below!
