GENEVA, Ohio – The Fairfield University swimming and diving programs swept the 2026 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Championships with both the men's and women's teams edging out Marist University for the top spots. For the men's team, the conference championship is the program's first in school history while the women's team captured the fifth MAAC title in school history.

Fairfield posted 1,325.5 team points in the women's standings, just eclipsing Marist's team total of 1,315.5 points. The men had more of a margin in the final rankings, posting 1,341.83 to Marist's 1,276 points.

The Stags were also well represented in the post championship awards. Colton Driggers captured the MAAC Diving Rookie of the Meet while Natasha De Pree collected the MAAC Swimming Rookie of the Meet.

Saturday started with a first-place finish for the Stags with Natasha De Pree bring home another gold medal. She posted the top time in the event, becoming the only swimmer to break 17 minutes at 16:53.77. Sofia Smerechniak earned the bronze medal by finishing the event in 17:13.32. Jochi Nolla represented the men by taking fifth in the 1650 by going the distance in 15:55.39.

The Stags placed two student-athletes in the top six of the women's 200 backstroke, namely Chloe Wukitch's third-place finish (2:01.42) and Lauren Patalano's sixth-place finish (2:04.93). Aidan Schnapf and Max McMillan scored points for the men's team by taking sixth place in 1:48.07 and seventh place in 1:48.38 in the event.

Holly Rahurahu picked up a seventh-place finish in the 100 freestyle, swimming to a time of 52.34. Cormac Rouse and Andrew Nathe also performed well in the event for the men with Rouse serving as runner-up (44.77) and Nathe touching the wall in sixth (45.12).

Tone Sandsjo secured fourth place in the 200 breaststroke based on her time of 2:18.09 while Cailey Stockwell was sixth by completing the distance in 2:20.05. Balazs Ament and Bobby Regan also garnered spots in the A final, earning fourth (1:58.70) and sixth (2:00.21) places on the men's side.

Three women's swimmers advanced to the final of the 200 butterfly with Callie Gray scoring the best finish among the trio by taking third place in 2:03.68. Olivia Glaser scored fifth place (2:05.15) while Briana Racanello (2:08.98) completed the scoring in the event. James Robinson and Ryan Woodzell made the podium in the 200 butterfly, placing fourth (1:50.97) and eighth (1:53.60) for the men.

The men's divers came into focus next with the 1 meter competition and the Stags performed admirably once again. Andrew Cataldo scored 262.25 points to earn a silver medal while Cameron Pope came in fifth with 212.40 points and Tyler Robie finished eighth with 198.40 points.

The final event of the championship would decide the women's team championship as Fairfield held slight lead over Marist going into the race. However, the Stags met the challenge and finished second in the 400 freestyle relay while the Red Foxes placed fifth to secure the program's fifth title. De Pree, Bashor, Smerechniak, and Rahurahu combined for the runner-up position by finishing the event in 3:25.10.

The men's 400 freestyle relay was not as a dramatic in terms of deciding the team championship but Fairfield still outlasted Marist by taking fourth, one placement ahead of the Red Foxes, to secure the team title. Rouse, Nathe, Tim Regan, and Schnapf closed out with a time of 2:59.81.