FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield University men's and women's swimming and diving programs both took first place at the 2026 Fairfield Invitational on Saturday.
The men's team scored 919.50 points in the event, high score among the University of Bridgeport (778 points), Southern Connecticut State University (491), and Manhattan University (263.50). The women's team tallied 916 points which was best among Sacred Heart University (763 points), Bridgeport (442), Southern Connecticut (365), and Manhattan (91).
Tone Sandsjo and Zoey Wiese picked up a pair of wins each for the Stags, comprising four of the team's 10 individual wins. Sandsjo touched the wall first in the 50 breaststroke (32.45) and the 100 breaststroke (1:11.42). Wiese excelled in the freestyle with the best times in the 400 (4:30.50) and the 800 (9:15.21) distances.
Zoe Williamson started the day off for her teammates with a first-place swim in the 50 free, completing the distance in 26.84. Natasha DePree opened her season with the top time in the 200 free with a time of 2:06.48. Laura Patalano garnered first place in the 100 fly, clocking in at 1:05.74. Isla Bartholomew completed the 200 IM with the fastest time of 2:23.49. Chloe Wukitch also secured gold in the 100 back with a time of 1:05.95.
The relay teams also earned the best time in their events with the 400 free taking a time of 4:01.24 behind the efforts of Gracie Lowney, Ayva Christie, Zoey Wiese, and Zoe Williamson while the 200-medley relay group timed out in 1:57.65 through the work of Lauren Patalano, Tone Sansjo, Lara Kisakol, and Zoe Williamson.
Eight men's swimmers collected first-place swims in their respective events with
Aidan Schnapf, Matt Duren, and
Luca Sandri winning twice. Schnapf took the top time in the 100 free (52.88) and the 200 free (1:55.89) while Duren secured the best finish in the 50 back (26.50) and the 100 back (57.75). Sandri was tops in the 50 free (23.20) and the 100 breast (1:04.76)
Two additional Fairfield swimmers grabbed gold in their event, beginning with
Balazs Ament success in the 50 breast (29.04).
Bobby Regan posted the fastest time in the 200 IM, touching the wall in 2:08.68.
Like the women's team, both men's relay teams were best in the meet, starting with the performance of Sandri,
Cormac Rouse, Ament, and Schnapf in the 400 free relay (3:28.79). In the 200-medley relay, Duren, Ament, Rouse, and Sandri took first with a time of 1:43.80.
The Fairfield University swimming and diving programs will return to the pool on Friday, October 9 at Bryant University. The swimmers commence at 5 pm while the divers start their competition at 7 pm on the Brown University campus.
