In an exciting showcase of talent, the Minnesota First Chance Meet, held at the Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center on February 6-7, 2026, saw a remarkable display of swimming prowess from numerous teams, including the University of Minnesota, St. Thomas, Wisconsin-La Crosse, Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Macalester, Carleton, St. Johns, St. Olaf, Hamline, Gustavus Adolphus, and Saint Benedict. The Gophers truly stood out during this event, making significant strides as they gear up for the upcoming Big Ten Swimming and Diving Championships. Over the course of the weekend, they recorded an impressive total of ten personal bests.
Kicking things off on the women’s side, senior Ava Yablonski captured attention by dominating the 500-yard freestyle event. Yablonski finished with a stunning time of 4:57.90, which was nearly 20 seconds ahead of her nearest competitor. This impressive performance not only marked her fastest time in this event but also surpassed her previous record of 5:03.05 set back in 2021.
The excitement continued as Minnesota showcased three outstanding swimmers in the women’s 50-yard freestyle, all clocking in under the 23-second mark. Junior Morgan Thomas led the pack with a time of 22.76 seconds, followed closely by sophomore Kamdyn Periat at 22.85 seconds and another sophomore, Rachel Conley, finishing at 22.99 seconds. Notably, Conley's time represented her best performance to date. Additionally, Periat achieved a personal milestone in the 200-yard backstroke, finishing first with a time of 1:58.96—over six seconds faster than anyone else in the field, and significantly improving upon her previous best of 2:00.16 from the Minnesota Invite in December.
Freshman Finnly Jollands also made waves by securing the top time in the women’s 200-yard individual medley (IM) at the meet, finishing strong with a time of 2:02.44, which was nearly three seconds ahead of her competitors.
The women's 100-yard butterfly event was thrilling, featuring a diverse array of competitors from six different schools among the top seven finishers. Gopher swimmer Mira Keller emerged victorious, clocking in at 55.27 seconds, followed by St. Thomas’ Emily Wooden in 58.05 seconds and UW-La Crosse’s Ava Pulvermacher in third at 58.18 seconds.
On the men's side, the Gophers swept the top five positions in the 100-yard breaststroke. Freshman Luke Mychalowych led this stellar group with a time of 53.98 seconds, while his teammate Joe Polyak, also a freshman, secured second place with a personal best of 54.58 seconds. Remarkably, all five Minnesota breaststrokers finished under 55.5 seconds.
Additionally, senior Alberto Hernandez achieved a personal best in the men’s 500-yard freestyle, finishing strong at 4:19.46, which is over 15 seconds faster than his previous best from October when he swam 4:35.01 in a competition against Nebraska and South Dakota.
The Gophers also excelled in the men’s 50-yard freestyle, claiming the top four spots with sophomore Jacob Johnson leading the way at 20.04 seconds. Close behind was junior Ryan Slonac, who celebrated a personal record of 20.34 seconds for second place. Slonac further showcased his talent by winning the 400-yard IM on the second day, achieving his fastest season time of 3:53.45 and becoming the only swimmer to finish under 4:00 in that event.
Finally, St. Thomas' Miggy San Jose had a standout performance in the men’s 200-yard backstroke, finishing with a personal best of 1:53.10—more than seven seconds ahead of the next competitor. This meet highlighted the exceptional skills and potential of these young athletes, making it an event to remember.
