Women's Swimming | 10/26/2026 10:30:00 AM

Melnyk, Poparcea Named Gannon Athletes of the Week
ERIE, Pa. – Gannon University Athletics has named swimmers Mariia Melnyk (Kyiv, Ukraine/Education Center Optima) and Nikita Poparcea its Athletes of the Week for the week of Oct. 26 following standout performances in Friday's dual meet at Clarion.

Melnyk, a sophomore, recorded three first-place finishes to lead the Gannon women's swimming team against the Golden Eagles.
The freestyle and backstroke standout captured the 200-yard freestyle in 1:58.39 before adding a victory in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 53.19 seconds. Melnyk also anchored Gannon's winning 400-yard medley relay, teaming with Daniela Mišúthová (Bratislava, Slovakia/Bilingual Grammar School Ceska 10), Aurelia Ribellia (East Wenatchee, Wash./Eastmont Senior) and Hailey Wills (Cleves, Ohio/Seton) to finish in 4:00.07.

Melnyk contributed 18 individual points and helped the Golden Knights earn another 11 points with the relay victory. Her performance continued a strong start to her sophomore campaign after setting program records in the 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle and 100 backstroke during her freshman season.

Poparcea, a junior, also posted three first-place finishes as the Gannon men's swimming team outscored Clarion 113-92 in swimming events during Friday's dual meet.

Poparcea swept the sprint freestyle events, winning the 50-yard freestyle in 21.54 seconds before claiming the 100-yard freestyle in 47.70 seconds. He capped his performance by anchoring the Golden Knights' winning 400-yard freestyle relay alongside Mert Ata Pehlivanoglu, Patrick Biasio (Muggiò, Italy/Liceo Majorana) and Nickolas Ambrosiani (Seward, Alaska/Seward), combining for a time of 3:10.66.

Like Melnyk, Poparcea accounted for 18 individual points while helping Gannon secure another 11 points in the relay. The junior is coming off a strong 2025-26 campaign in which he earned a pair of All-PSAC honors, placing second in the 100 freestyle and third in the 50 freestyle at the PSAC Championships.

Both swimmers return to action on Saturday, Nov. 7, when Gannon hosts Case Western Reserve at the Carneval Athletic Pavilion Pool. The meet is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.

2026-27 Gannon Athletes of the Week
Week 1 (Aug. 31, 2026)
Donell Mason (Football),
Abbey Williams (Volleyball)

Week 2 (Sept. 7, 2026) 
Alexis Abbett (Women's Cross Country)
Nick Thompson (Men's Water Polo)

Week 3 (Sept. 14, 2026) 
Olivia Dixon (Women's Soccer),
Keoke Toomer (Football)

Week 4 (Sept. 21, 2026)
Brooklyn Respecki (Women's Soccer)
Chazz Corley (Football)

Week 5 (Sept. 28, 2026) 
Nikiforos Liantziris (Men's Water Polo)
Gabby Beaubrun (Volleyball)

Week 6 (Oct. 5, 2026)
Alwa Wennstroem (Women's Soccer)
Jensen Peake (Men's Soccer)

Week 7 (Oct. 12, 2026)
Cloe Mateo (Women's Golf)
Dane Hieronimus (Men's Cross Country)

Week 8 (Oct. 19, 2026)
Maggie Piper (Women's Soccer)
Rasmus Seppanen (Men's Golf)

Week 9 (Oct. 26, 2026)
Mariia Melnyk (Kyiv, Ukraine/Education Center Optima) (Women's Swimming)
Nikita Poparcea (Men's Swimming)