The University of Hawai’i men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams continued their efforts at the 2026 Big West Championships, held at the CRWC Natatorium in Houston. After two days of competition, the men’s team holds second place overall, while the Rainbow Wahine women’s team moved from last to first place.
Karol Ostrowski led the men’s team by winning his third consecutive conference title in the 50 freestyle with a time of 19.13 seconds, setting a new Big West record and earning an NCAA Automatic qualifying spot. Finn Brophy and Regan Richardson also contributed points by finishing fourth and seventh respectively in the same event.
Ostrowski was part of UH’s record-setting 200 freestyle relay team alongside Brophy, Aleks Tomaszewski, and Richardson. The relay finished with a time of 1:17.24, marking another Big West record for Hawai’i.
Tom Thalau added to UH’s medal tally by winning the 200 individual medley with a time of 1:43.93, also an NCAA Automatic Qualifying time. In diving, Juan Esteban Ramirez Tamayo set a Big West record in the 3-meter event with a score of 393.45 points—ranking him seventh all-time in school history—and secured his second-straight title in the 1-meter dive on Wednesday.
On the women’s side, Gabriela Kelly, Aoife Harkin, and Brooke Bennett earned key points early in the day by placing fourth, sixth, and seventh respectively in the 500 freestyle. Holly Nelson won the 50 freestyle with a time of 22.28 seconds—an NCAA Automatic Qualifier—and Quincy Key took second place.
Nelson also led off for Hawai’i’s women’s record-breaking 200 free relay team joined by Key, Alexia Kovaluk, and Zofia Tyminska; they finished in 1:29.39 for another conference record.
In diving events, Hawai’i secured five out of six top spots in the women’s one-meter competition. Macie Wheeler won with a score of 311.85 points; Lovisa Gusstavson placed second; Ruby Pickron came third; Keira Chandler took fourth; Avery Coates finished sixth.
The championships will continue Friday with Day 3 at CRWC Natatorium.
Current men’s standings have Grand Canyon leading with 319 points followed by Hawai’i (302), UC San Diego (207), Cal State Bakersfield (171.5), UC Santa Barbara (166), and Seattle U (113.5). For women’s standings: Hawai’i leads at 271 points ahead of UC Santa Barbara (225), UC Davis (217), UC San Diego (207), San Diego (133), Seattle U (80), and Cal State Bakersfield (78).
Among notable performances were Ostrowski’s win in the men’s 50 free; Thalau’s victory in the men’s 200 IM; Ramirez Tamayo’s first-place finish in both diving events; Nelson’s win in women’s 50 free; Wheeler’s victory on one-meter springboard; and both squads’ wins in their respective relay races.
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