Vandals Dominate Season Opener, Shatter Diving Records in Caldwell
CALDWELL, idaho – The University of Idaho swimming and diving team kicked off its season with a decisive victory in Caldwell, highlighted by broken records and impressive debuts from both veteran athletes and newcomers. The Vandals swept the top three spots in every swimming event and saw significant achievements in the diving well, signaling a strong start to their campaign as they transition to the MPSF.
The meet saw a historic performance from freshman Kelly Mejorada, who broke an 11-year-old school record in her first collegiate competition, scoring a 312.65 in diving. This marks the first addition to the Vandal diving record books since 2023. Graduate student Maya salvitti, a transfer from UCLA and an NCAA Championships qualifier, also made an immediate impact, achieving a score of 273.30 – the 10th-best in program history. These performances underscore the growing strength of Idaho’s diving program and set a high bar for the season.
returning Vandals also delivered strong results.Ginger Kiefer, already a multiple school record holder, won both the 200 Y IM (2:09.61) and the 200 Y Backstroke (2:06.09). Holly Lenarz secured first place in the 200 Y Free (1:56.67) and the 200 Y Fly (2:10.88), while Marie Mason dominated the 500 Y Free (5:11.94), winning by nearly six seconds.
newcomers weren’t to be outdone. Grace Benson posted the only sub-minute time in the 100 Y Backstroke, winning with a time of 59.00. Freshman Italia Ingle claimed her first career win in the 100 Y Fly (58.87) and finished second in the 200 Y Fly (2:10.88). Kristen Sautel rounded out the impressive debuts with a second-place finish in the 100 Y breaststroke (1:07.00).
The Vandals will now prepare for a dual meet against northern Colorado on Oct. 11. this matchup is particularly noteworthy as both programs are transitioning from the Western Athletic Conference to the MPSF for the 2025-26 season,marking a new chapter in their athletic rivalry.
Fans can follow the Vandals’ progress on instagram (@vandal_swimdive), X (@VandalSwim_Dive), and at govandals.com.
