CANTON, Ohio - November 22, 2025 - Both Hiram swimming teams finished strong on day three of the Malone Invitational on Saturday morning and evening, as the men placed above four teams and the women topped Bethany to cap off a successful first half of the season for both teams under head coach Matt Campbell.

Not only did the event prove that Hiram could stay in the thick of a major event with both PAC rivals and top opponents from the Division II and Division III levels, but it also set the tone for the rest of the season. The Terriers have three home meets in January before getting set for their first PAC Championships since returning to PAC competition this season.

Owen Pastorius showcased his versatility throughout the week, notably in the 1,650-yard freestyle on Saturday, which saw him swim a 17:12.16, which ranked 11th overall in the field. In the next event, junior David Slovenkay kept the momentum going with a time of 2:07.93 in the 200-yard backstroke, which placed fifth in the B-Final.

One of the highlights from the entire meet came from senior Jon Hybil, who qualified for the A-Final by swimming a 2:17.74 in the 200-yard breaststroke prelims. The time was just short of his personal record in the event, which was set at the 2023 NCAC Championships (2:16.05).

The relay teams were also an enjoyable run for both teams, as the men featured Hybil, Slovenkay, Ethan O'Malley and Pastorius in the 400-yard freestyle relay (3:19.45). That group placed 10th out of 16 teams, which was ahead of two different teams from Malone, Baldwin Wallace, Chatham, Bethel and Alma.

The women's team also swam hard in the 400-yard freestyle relay, with Mya Libertine, Grace Basham, Becca Johnston and Anna Hisrich rolling to a time of 5:02.38. Both Basham and Libertine also competed in the 100-yard freestyle prelims, recording marks of 1:04.78 and 1:06.45 respectively, while Johnston swam in the 200-yard breaststroke (3:19.86).

Hiram will take the next month off, with the team's next event scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 10 against The College of Wooster inside Alumni Memorial Pool in Hiram, OH.