Men's Swimming | 10/13/2019 1:56:00 PM

WILMORE, Kentucky -- WVU Tech women's and men's swimming started the 2019-2020 season in a dual at Asbury University which also included Bethel University. The men's squad split on Saturday, defeating Bethel 162-62 and falling to Asbury with a score of 99-160. The four women competed well but fell to their opponents Saturday.

The men recorded four first place finishes including two from senior Felipe Ruiz. Ruiz, who hails from Campinas, São Paulo - Brazil, touched first in both the 100 and 200 yard Freestyle. With his time of 1:47.59 in the 200, he punched his ticket to the NAIA National Championship.

Fellow classmate Paulo Dias Ignacio, Jr. also earned a spot at the NAIA National Championship, ending first in the 100 yard Breaststroke with a time of 57.74. The time also broke Asbury's pool record.

The 200 yard Freestyle Relay team of senior Manuel Laguna Gomez, Ruiz, Ignacio and freshman Eduardo Saint-Lo also earned the top spot in their event, finishing with a time of 1:30.37 which is good for the NAIA standard for a trip to the national championship.

In the same event, 200 Free Relay, sophomore Pau Eslava, freshmen Josmar Morales and Jacob Strong and junior Marcos de Paula Damaso touched second and also surpassed the NAIA standard to secure a spot at the national championship.

The 400 yard Medley Relay team made up of Gomez, Ignacio, Ruiz and Eslava will also be competing at nationals after finishing second with a time of 3:43.61.

For the women, freshman Brenna Emery kicked off her collegiate career with a first place finish in the 100 yard Backstroke. The Herndon, Virginia native recorded a time of 1:04.84 for the Golden Bears.

The Gold and Blue will next travel to West Virginia Wesleyan to face the host school and Alderson Broaddus University in a dual October 26.