KINGSPORT, Tenn. — WVU Tech swimming closed the 2026 Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Swimming Championships on Saturday at the Kingsport Aquatic Center, adding two more podium finishes as the Golden Bear men secured a third-place team finish and the Golden Bear women completed the meet in sixth.

WVU Tech capped a strong three-day championship that featured consistent scoring across finals sessions. The Golden Bears opened the meet Thursday with four third-place finishes, including a bronze from Neda Vaicaite in the women's 50-yard freestyle and three men's podium results, highlighted by third-place finishes in the 200-yard medley relay, 500-yard freestyle and 800-yard freestyle relay. On Friday, WVU Tech added two more relay podiums, placing third in both the 200-yard freestyle relay and the 400-yard medley relay.

In the final team standings through Event 40, WVU Tech's men totaled 418 points to finish third overall behind Milligan (1,041) and Tennessee Southern (518). The Golden Bear women finished sixth with 115 points.

Saturday Podiums

WVU Tech produced two podium finishes during Saturday's finals.

The Golden Bears earned a third-place finish in the men's 200-yard butterfly, as Carmine Bernardo touched in 1:55.12 for another medal performance.

Tech also closed the meet with a bronze in the men's 400-yard freestyle relay. The group of Mauro Sanchez Lopez, Bernardo, Oleguer Siscart Muntané and Jose Fernando Perez placed third in 3:13.96.

Individual Scoring Performances

On the men's side, WVU Tech scored multiple finalists throughout the session.

In the men's 100-yard freestyle A final, Perez placed fifth in 47.89 and Sanchez Lopez finished seventh in 48.06.

In the men's 200-yard breaststroke, Bryson George placed sixth in 2:21.26.

Siscart Muntané added points in the men's 200-yard butterfly, finishing eighth in 2:04.06.

WVU Tech also scored three swimmers in the men's 100-yard freestyle B final, with Mason Adams clocking 53.36, Sebastian Morales Tito swimming 54.85 and Noah Maniace posting 56.97.

On the women's side, Vaicaite turned in a strong finish in the 200-yard backstroke, placing fifth in 2:11.79.

The Golden Bears also closed Saturday's team events in the women's 400-yard freestyle relay, as Vaicaite, Nora Martin-Mora Segura, Giulia Colombo and Haley Jo Hunt finished in 4:37.78.

WVU Tech now turns its attention to the 2026 NAIA National Championship, set for March 4-7 in Elkhart, Indiana.
 

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