LUKE FENDER OF TRINITY UNIVERSITY, a first-year swimming from Jackson, Miss., has been selected the SCAC Men’s Swimmer of the Week for performances during the meets swam Friday, November 22 to Sunday, November 24. SCAC Swimming & Diving Release (Week 7)
Fender had a record setting weekend at the 2024 Trinity Tiger Invitational as the first-year won the 200, 500, and 1650 freestyle events. He lowered his own school record in the 500 freestyle with a 4:28.27, and also took down the mile record with his NCAA 'B' cut time of 15:46.17. En route to that time he posted a school record 1000 with a 9:30.70.
Fender's winning 200 freestyle time of 1:38.71 moved him to third in program history, and he was also sixth in the 100 freestyle with a 47.43 after going 46.77 in prelims. Fender anchored the B 400 medley relay with a 46.64 and the B 400 freestyle relay in 46.31 to hold off a charging UTPB team and finish second.
Other Outstanding Performances in the SCAC:
First-year Andrew Colgan of Colorado College scored 83 points at the Speedo Centre Invitiational and helped the men's team to a second place finish. Colgan had a third place finish in the 100 breast with a 56.08, and had two other A final swims in the 200 IM (1:55.10) and 200 breast (2:09.75). He was also on the 200 and 400 medley relays, with both finishing fourth. Junior Andrew Renninger of Southwestern had many season-best swims at the Trinity Tiger Invitational, including the 400 medley where his back segment was clocked at 53.86. Renninger also posted times in the 200 IM (1:56.86), 400 IM (4:10.50), 200 back (1:54.59 - 57.67/56.92 splits just coming off the 1650 with only 10 minutes rest). First-year Wes Scalf of McMurry was the leading male scorer for the War Hawks at the Trinity Tiger Invitational setting a new school record in the 100 breast with a personal best (57.51) and also had personal bests times in the 200 breast, 50 free and 100 freestyle. Sophomore Kamil Murugan of Austin College reached multiple personal bests this past weekend at the Trinity Tiger Invitational, including making the top 16 in the 100 free with a final time of 48.05 and beating his own best time in the 4x1 free relay with a split of 47.59. Murugan also established a PR of 1:52.47 in the 200 free. First-year Ben Tercero of St. Thomas delivered a standout performance for the Celts, leading the men's team with a seventh-place finish in the 100 breast (58.86) and a personal best in the 50 free, claiming ninth place at 21.45. His efforts, combined with top-16 finishes in relay and individual events, were key in driving the team's overall success at the Trinity Tiger Invitational. Senior Tyler Young of University of the Ozarks had massive time drops at the Delta State Thanksgiving Invite to finish with lifetime best times in every event. The senior captain went 2:23.39 in the 200 IM, 1:03.79 in the 100 fly, 1:11.90 in the 100 breast, 2:36.58 in the 200 breast.
| SCAC Men's Swimmers of the Week | |
| Week 1 | Victor Zambrano, McMurry University |
| Week 2 | Andrew Colgan, Colorado College |
| Week 3 | Andrew Renninger, Southwestern University |
| Week 4 | Grant Bibza, Trinity University |
| Week 5 | Luke Fender, Trinity University |
| Week 6 | Nathan McCracken, Colorado College |
| Week 7 | Luke Fender, Trinity University |
| Week 8 | |
| Week 9 | |
