COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Trinity's men's swimming & diving team opened up the 2023-24 season with a narrow loss at fellow Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference school Colorado College on Friday night.

The Tigers were edged out 124-119 in the meet, though they did manage to win six events to go along with three runner-up performances. Trinity also had 12 third-place finishes in the meet.

Senior All-Americans Nathaniel Early (Austin, Texas / Westwood) and Michael Kohl (Missouri City, Texas / Ridge Point) led the way for Trinity as part of both winning relay teams. Early was also won of four Tigers to win an individual gold medal, taking the top spot in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:45.52 on Friday.

In addition to Kohl and Early, the 200 medley relay team featured two other Trinity All-Americans in senior Kendal Southwell (Rio Rancho, N.M. / Calvert Online Academy) and junior Caleb Manifold (Helotes, Texas / Homeschool). The Tiger team finished in 1:36.34 to take the win to start off the swim portion of the evening. Manifold, Early, and Kohl were also joined for the winning 200 free relay by first-year Trace Briones (San Antonio, Texas / Health Careers), posting a time of 1:26.12 on Friday.

Southwell and Briones also picked up individual wins at the meet. Southwell won the 100 breaststroke with a time of 59.12, and Briones won the 50 free in 22.03 seconds. Sophomore John Key (El Paso, Texas / Franklin) was Trinity's other individual winner, taking gold in the 20 individual medley with a time of 2:00.42.

Kohl and William Walker (Houston, Texas / Westside) earned the three runner-up performances for the Tigers on Friday. Walker had two of them, finishing the 1000 free in 10:21.80 for the silver, and then doing the same with time of 5:03.39 in the 500 free. Kohl narrowly missed a victory with his time of 47.73 seconds in the 100 free, finishing second by just 0.02 seconds.

Senior All-American diver Konstantine Partalas (San Antonio, Texas / Reagan) had bronze-medal performances on both boards tonight. He was third in the 3-meter event with a score of 249.08, as well as finishing third in the 1-meter competition with a score of 249.23.

The 200 medley relay team of Key, senior John Fontenot (Austin, Texas / St. Andrew's), and first-years Daniel Itkins (Houston, Texas / The Village School) and Chase Hays (Austin, Texas / Anderson) finished third with a time of 1:39.40. Walker, Fontenot, junior William Kitto IV (Prairieview, La. / Catholic High School), and first-year Ryan O'Leary (Austin, Texas / Austin) were also third in the 200 free relay with a time of 1:30.15.

First-year Nathan Perez (Alpharetta, Ga. / Johns Creek) was third in three different events to open up his collegiate career with the Tigers. Perez was third behind Walker in both the 1000 free (10:27.87) and 500 free (5:08.48), as well as coming in third as the top finisher for Trinity in the 100 butterfly (54.08). Itkins was also third twice individually in both the 50 free (22.17) and the 100 free (49.93). O'Leary was third in the 200 free (1:48.19), Southwell was third in the 200 IM (2:03.87), and first-year Caleb Del Rosario (Sudbury, Mass. / Lincoln-Sudbury) was third in the 100 breast (1:03.31).

Coach Speak
"The men worked really hard under tough conditions tonight," said Head Coach Cathleen Pruden. "We came up just short, but they have another chance to go for it tomorrow. We have some details to clean up, but that will continue to come with time. I'm proud of the Tigers' attitudes and their fight."

Up Next
Trinity and Colorado will face off again tomorrow for another dual meet, beginning at 12:00 p.m.