MARION, Ind. — The Midway University men's and women's swimming teams continued their strong start to the 2026-27 season Saturday afternoon, combining for three victories against Indiana Wesleyan University and Bethel University at the DeVoe Natatorium.

The men's team made program history, defeating Indiana Wesleyan 238-217 and Bethel 261-146. The victories marked the first time in program history that Midway's men had defeated either opponent, improving their season record to a perfect 3-0.

The women's team also reached a milestone, defeating Bethel 291-265 for the first time in program history. The Eagles fell to Indiana Wesleyan 354-265, moving their season record to 2-1.

Freshman Jackson Brown highlighted the afternoon for the men's team, breaking the Midway program record in the 400-yard individual medley with a first-place time of 4:23.27.

MEN'S SWIMMING

The Midway men's swimming team continued its historic start to the season, securing two victories to remain undefeated through its first three dual meets.

After opening the season with a 134-84 victory over WVU Tech, the Eagles followed with their first-ever victories over Indiana Wesleyan and Bethel.

Brown led the way with another record-breaking performance. The freshman finished first in the 400-yard individual medley with a time of 4:23.27, setting a new Midway program record.

The performance marked Brown's second program record in as many meets after breaking the 200-yard backstroke record with a time of 2:03.73 against WVU Tech.

Sophomore Caique Nunes Maia also delivered a strong performance for the Eagles, winning the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1:49.05.

Maia added a runner-up finish in the 50-yard freestyle, touching the wall in 21.96 seconds, just behind Bethel's Andrew Williams, who finished in 21.80.

Maia also placed second in the 200-yard breaststroke with a time of 2:17.70, narrowly missing first place by six-hundredths of a second.

The Eagles recorded another first-place finish in the 200-yard freestyle relay. The team of Jalen Wright, Caua Kerppers Kreia, Maia and Rider Burton finished in 1:31.94, edging Indiana Wesleyan's top relay team, which finished in 1:32.61.

Wright added a second-place finish in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:03.77, while Charlie Johnson followed in third at 1:04.63.

Brown also finished second in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 59.70 seconds.

In the 500-yard freestyle, Kerppers Kreia placed second with a time of 5:31.86, while Awstyn Luff finished fourth in 5:41.79.

The Eagles also earned a second-place finish in the 200-yard medley relay, with Luff, Brown, Burton and Wright combining for a time of 1:43.08.

The two victories give Midway its first 3-0 start to a season under the program's current seven-year history.

WOMEN'S SWIMMING

The Midway women's swimming team also made history Saturday, earning its first-ever victory over Bethel University.

The Eagles defeated the Pilots 291-265 while falling to Indiana Wesleyan 354-265, improving to 2-1 on the season.

Midway opened the meet with a strong performance in the 200-yard medley relay. The team of Kaelynn Martin, Karen Hoefler, Sydney Eastman and Isadora Silva captured first place with a time of 1:56.53.

The Eagles narrowly edged Indiana Wesleyan's top relay team, which finished in 1:56.75.

Senior Josie Briner continued her strong start to the season, recording a pair of second-place finishes in individual events.

Briner finished second in the 200-yard butterfly with a time of 2:14.47 before adding another runner-up finish in the 400-yard individual medley, touching the wall in 4:53.25.

Briner also placed second in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 57.15 seconds, improving upon her previous personal-best time of 57.33 recorded against WVU Tech.

Martin added a second-place finish in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 1:03.71 and followed with another runner-up performance in the 200-yard backstroke, finishing in 2:21.14.

Freshman Ada Armstrong also contributed strong performances, placing second in the 1,000-yard freestyle with a time of 11:56.11. Armstrong later finished fifth in the 400-yard individual medley with a time of 5:21.53.

Eastman recorded a third-place finish in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 5:51.30, while sophomore Pamela Ramires followed closely in fourth with a time of 5:51.79.

The Eagles also finished third in the 200-yard freestyle relay. Silva, Eastman, Martin and Briner combined for a time of 1:44.53, finishing just 0.31 seconds behind Indiana Wesleyan's winning relay.

With Saturday's split, Midway's women's team has now recorded victories over WVU Tech and Bethel to begin the season.

BREAKING RECORDS

Brown's performance in the 400-yard individual medley marked another milestone for the Midway men's swimming program.

The freshman completed the event in 4:23.27, establishing a new school record just one week after setting the program standard in the 200-yard backstroke.

The Eagles also celebrated three historic dual-meet victories Saturday, with the men defeating Indiana Wesleyan and Bethel for the first time and the women earning their first victory over Bethel.

INSIDE THE RESULTS

The Midway men's team recorded victories over both opponents, defeating Indiana Wesleyan by 21 points and Bethel by 115 points.

The women's team earned a 26-point victory over Bethel while finishing 89 points behind Indiana Wesleyan.

Midway recorded several first-place performances, including Brown's record-breaking 400-yard individual medley, Maia's 200-yard freestyle victory and the men's 200-yard freestyle relay.

The women's team added a first-place finish in the 200-yard medley relay, along with several runner-up finishes from Briner, Martin and Armstrong.

The performances helped both teams continue their strong starts to the 2026-27 season, with the men improving to 3-0 and the women moving to 2-1.

About Midway University Athletics

Midway University competes in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), and its 29 athletic teams are part of the River States Conference, Mid-South Conference, Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association and USA Archery. For more information about Midway University Athletics, please visit www.gomidwayeagles.com or contact Tyler Beck at 859-846-5366.