Men's Swimming | 11/7/2026 9:20:00 PM

ERIE, Pa. – A school record, five pool records and an NCAA Division II provisional qualifying performance highlighted the Gannon men's swimming team's 166.5-121.5 victory over Case Western Reserve on Saturday afternoon at the Carneval Athletic Pavilion Pool.

Jakub Loboda led the record-setting afternoon, establishing a school and pool record in the 100-yard breaststroke with a winning time of 55.21. Loboda also captured the 100-yard butterfly in 48.47, meeting the NCAA Division II B-cut standard.

The Golden Knights also received record-breaking performances from Patrick Biasio (Muggiò, Italy/Liceo Majorana) and Luis Lebrons Montesinos (Madrid, Spain/The Bolles School). Biasio established a pool record in the 100-yard backstroke (49.92), while Lebrons Montesinos set a pool record in the 200-yard butterfly (1:54.27).

Gannon added two more pool records in the relays, opening the meet with a winning time of 1:30.60 in the 200-yard medley relay before closing the competition with a 3:03.05 performance in the 400-yard freestyle relay.

Nikita Poparcea also enjoyed a strong afternoon, sweeping the sprint freestyle events with victories in the 50-yard freestyle (20.39) and 100-yard freestyle (45.83).

The Golden Knights captured nine individual events and both relays to secure the 45-point victory in their home opener.

THE MEET FACTS

Final Score: Gannon 166.5, Case Western Reserve 121.5

Date: Saturday, November 7, 2026

Location: Carneval Athletic Pavilion Pool – Erie, Pa.

School Records: 1

Pool Records: 5

NCAA Division II B Cuts: 1 athlete

Individual Event Victories: 9

Relay Victories: 2

THE KNIGHT CAP

• Loboda Sets School Record: Jakub Loboda established a school and pool record in the 100-yard breaststroke with a winning time of 55.21. He finished ahead of teammate Dylan Ray (Pinckney, Mich./Pinckney Community), who placed second in 56.54.

• Loboda Earns NCAA B Cut: Loboda added another individual victory in the 100-yard butterfly, finishing in 48.47 to meet the NCAA Division II provisional qualifying standard. The performance gives him consideration for a berth in the NCAA Division II Championships.

• Biasio Breaks Pool Record: Patrick Biasio (Muggiò, Italy/Liceo Majorana) established a pool record in the 100-yard backstroke with a winning time of 49.92. Marcos Rodriguez (Madrid, Spain/Santa María del Pilar) Fernandez finished just behind in 49.99, while Nickolas Ambrosiani (Seward, Alaska/Seward) completed Gannon's sweep of the top three positions in 50.90.

• Lebrons Montesinos Wins Twice: Luis Lebrons Montesinos (Madrid, Spain/The Bolles School) captured the 200-yard butterfly in a pool-record time of 1:54.27. He followed with another victory in the 500-yard freestyle, finishing in 4:45.81.

• Record-Setting Medley Relay: The Golden Knights opened the meet with a pool record in the 200-yard medley relay. Patrick Biasio (Muggiò, Italy/Liceo Majorana), Jakub Loboda, Kaidan Helmeczi (Mount Wolf, PA/Northeastern Senior High School) and Nickolas Ambrosiani (Seward, Alaska/Seward) combined for a winning time of 1:30.60. Gannon's second relay finished runner-up in 1:31.06.

• Poparcea Sweeps the Sprints: Nikita Poparcea won the 50-yard freestyle in 20.39 and the 100-yard freestyle in 45.83. He also contributed to the Golden Knights' winning 400-yard freestyle relay.

• Pehlivanoglu Takes the 200 Free: Mert Ata Pehlivanoglu won the 200-yard freestyle in 1:42.16 before adding a second-place finish in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 46.09.

• Rodriguez Fernandez Wins Backstroke: Marcos Rodriguez (Madrid, Spain/Santa María del Pilar) Fernandez captured the 200-yard backstroke in 1:50.89. Tyler Turgeon (North Huntingdon, PA/Norwin High School) tied for second in 1:55.04, while Nickolas Ambrosiani (Seward, Alaska/Seward) placed fourth in 1:55.80.

• Strong Breaststroke Performances: Along with Loboda's school-record victory in the 100-yard breaststroke, Dylan Ray (Pinckney, Mich./Pinckney Community) finished second in the event in 56.54. Ray also placed second in the 200-yard breaststroke with a time of 2:07.74.

• Depth in the Distance Events: Brandon Hebert (Damascus, Md./Damascus) finished third in the 1,650-yard freestyle with a time of 16:54.67, while Dexter Jones (Columbus, Ohio/Worthington Kilbourne) followed in fourth at 16:57.50. Gannon also received fourth- and fifth-place finishes from Manny Cisneros (4:51.63) and Ethan Weigel (Cowansville, Pa./Armstrong) (5:00.11) in the 500-yard freestyle.

• Freestyle Relay Closes in Record Fashion: Gannon concluded the meet by establishing a pool record in the 400-yard freestyle relay. Bengimin Ambrosiani (Seward, Alaska/Seward), Nickolas Ambrosiani (Seward, Alaska/Seward), Mert Ata Pehlivanoglu and Nikita Poparcea combined for a winning time of 3:03.05.

• Five Pool Records Fall: The Golden Knights established pool records in the 100-yard backstroke, 100-yard breaststroke, 200-yard butterfly, 200-yard medley relay and 400-yard freestyle relay.

• Dominant Team Performance: Gannon won nine individual events and both relays while finishing with a 166.5-121.5 advantage despite Case Western Reserve collecting all available diving points.

RECORD-BREAKING PERFORMANCES

School Record

• 100 Breaststroke: Jakub Loboda – 55.21

Pool Records

• 100 Backstroke: Patrick Biasio (Muggiò, Italy/Liceo Majorana) – 49.92

• 100 Breaststroke: Jakub Loboda – 55.21

• 200 Butterfly: Luis Lebrons Montesinos (Madrid, Spain/The Bolles School) – 1:54.27

• 200 Medley Relay: Gannon – 1:30.60

• 400 Freestyle Relay: Gannon – 3:03.05

NCAA Division II B Cut

• 100 Butterfly: Jakub Loboda – 48.47

UP NEXT

Gannon returns to competition November 19-21 at the Youngstown State Invitational in Youngstown, Ohio.

The three-day invitational will provide the Golden Knights with another opportunity to build on their early-season success before returning to dual-meet competition in December.

This story was written using the support of AI.