NAIA Top 10 Coaches' Poll

Kansas City, MO – Three days after being named the favorite to win the MSC crown, the UC men's swimmer team has made program history with its highest national ranking coming in second in the NAIA Top 10 Coaches' Poll, announced by the national office Friday.  The Patriots earned 55 points to be tied with Midland for that second spot. 

UC has started the season 2-0, including a 152-50 win over #10 Union last Friday.  Cumberlands has 18 individual times that are ranked in the top ten of their respective sport and has achieved a pair of national cuts.

Leading the way for UC is Martin Herion, Enzo Esteves, and Alan Senn.  Herion has three swims that rank in the top ten of the NAIA, including his 52.25 100 fly which is the second fastest in the country.  He also has the sixth fastest 200 fly and is ranked tenth in the 200 free with a time of 1:49.78.  In his first competition of the season Esteves hit a NAIA preliminary cut in the 50 free with a time of 21.49. That time is the ranked third in the NAIA, as the Salvador, Brazil native is also ranked third in the 100 free (48.16). 

Veteran Alan Senn has posted three wins on the season so far, including posting the fastest time in the 500 free as he touched the wall in 4:58.43.  He leads a trio of Patriots that are ranked in the top-ten in the 500 free. 

Nathan Souza, Mikolaj Kala, Peyton Berter, Nicolas Cecioni, and Charles Wolfram all have multiple top-ten times so far this season. Souza is ranked fourth in the 100 breast (1:00.82) and tenth in the 50 free (22.37), while Kala is ranked fifth and seventh in the 200 breast (2:17.28) and the 100 breast (1:01.28), respectfully.  Berter's has recorded top-ten times in the 200 breast and the 200 fly with swims of 2:18.40 and 2:04.31.

Cecioni has doubled up in the backstroke events, while Wolfram has doubled up in the fly events.

In addition to their individual success, Cumberlands has taken first in all four relays that they have swam this season.  The Patriots currently holds the fastest time in the NAIA in the 400-medley relay with a mark of 3:36.39.

Keiser earned all seven first-place votes and 70 points to be atop the poll.  College of Idaho and Asbury round out the top five with 37 and 31 points, respectfully.  MSC rivals Lindsey Wilson and Loyola are ranked sixth and seventh in the poll. 

The Patriots will return to the water Saturday, November 14, when they host compete in a virtual meet against Loyola. The meet is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.

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