Emmetsburg, Iowa - The Iowa Lakes swim team grabbed multiple top finishes, breaking two school records, as they participated in the NJCAA Virtual Pentathlon on Oct 10th in front of the home crowd.

The NJCAA Virtual Pentathlon is a very unique meet that the majority of the NJCAA swimming schools compete in, popularized during the pandemic, virtual meets have been a fun way to connect schools and programs that otherwise wouldn't be able to compete against each other due to things like distance. This is exactly the case for the NJCAA swimming schools, Because the schools are scattered so far apart throughout the nation, the programs all run the virtual meet out of their own pool and come together to compile the results. The NJCAA also added a fun twist by making the meet, only 50's of stroke and the 100 IM, events that the athletes very rarely get to race, and it has quickly become a team favorite!

 This year the meet saw roughly 90 men and 40 women participating.

Men's Highlights:

• Eduardo Martiniano started the meet off with an overall 1^st place finish. and school record in the 50 Fly, swimming a time of 22.84, the only athlete in the meet to break 23 in the vent. He quickly followed that performance up by managing to grab another 1^st place finish and another school record, this time in the 50 backstroke in a time of 24.56. He also raced his way to a 3^rd place overall finish in the 50 free with a time of 21.66.
• Marcelo Rojas impressed the home crowd by grabbing a pair of 3^rd place finishes in the 100 IM in a time of 53.26t, and the 50 breaststroke with a time of 26.95 – narrowing missing the team record in the event. Rojas also fought his way into a 7^th place finish in the 50 backstroke, and 9^th in the 50 fly.
• The Lakers showed their power in the 50 breaststroke by having 5 men crack the top 16 in the meet. Eduardo Sarmiento finished 12^th (28.36), Eduardo Martiniano finished 9^th (27.99), Andres Santana finished 8^th (27.98), Erik Graff finished 7^th (27.57), and Marcelo Rojas led the Lakers in 3^rd (26.95).
• Troy Maivusoaroko put on a show for the home crowd breaking in to the top 10 in two events, with a  9^th overall finish in the 50 back (25.73) and another 9^th place finish in the 50 free (22.13)

Women's Highlights:

• Allison Graff led the Iowa Lakes Women's team with a 19^th place finish in the 50 backstroke (32.26), one of her favorite events to race. She also finished 24^th overall in the splash and dash, 50 free (28.89), and 25^th in the 100IM (1:15.70).
• Rylee Valentine joined Graff in representing the Laker women and snagged a 32^nd place finish in the 50 backstroke (37.67). Valentine also placed 35^th in the 50 free (31.90) and 35^th in the 100IM (1:22.91)

Next Up:

The Lakers dive into action next on Nov 5^th here at Home where they will host Morningside University in their first home duel meet since 2020, be sure to stop by and cheer them on!