GOLDEN, Colo. – Air Force's men and Western Colorado's women were in town Saturday as the Colorado School of Mines men's and women's swimming & diving teams hosted the Falcons and Mountaineers in the Orediggers' 2025-26 home finale.
 
The final scores saw Mines' women take a 164-59 win off WCU while the Oredigger men fell to NCAA Division I Air Force, 181.5-58.5. however, the biggest highlight of the day were the Senior Day festivities which featured Ava Burger, Joe Hutchinson, Emi Jedryka, Savannah Karas, Charlie Krone, Mattie Oberley, Cameryn Schmidt, Jake Sherman, Jordan Tierney, Kylie VanderMeer, and Jakson Winn all racing in their final collegiate competition at the Mines Natatorium. The group of 11 seniors were officially recognized in a ceremony on the pool deck between diving action and the start of racing. Outside of the celebration, first-place finishes by the Oredigger women in every swimming event and an event win for Mines' men added to Saturday's highlights.
 
Bruno Albertoni started the day for Mines by diving to bronze in the 1-meter event and finishing fourth in the 3-meter event. Racing opened with a gold medal for Jedryka, Tierney, Karas, and VanderMeer in the 400-medley relay. Next was Julie Gill touching first in the 1000-free. Lucas Hoked nabbed silver for the men in the 1000-free after nearly chasing down the first-place finisher from Air Force. Ava LaBrose added to Mines' gold medals by winning the 200-free. Krone, on his senior day, provided the Oredigger men gold in the men's 200-free as well. Sophia Cristal won the women's sprint and Anna Bream was fastest in the 400-IM before the first break.
 
After a brief reprieve, Kaya Flaherty brought Mines back into the pool with a first-place finish in the women's 100-fly, and Krone grabbed silver in the men's 100-fly. Then, Jennifer Pierson found victory in the women's 100-free and Brenden Cook's silver in the 100-free added to the men's medal count. Jedryka celebrated her Senior Day by winning the 100-back. Another distance freestyle brought Mikaela Khan to the top of the proverbial podium in the 500-free before shorter distances saw Tierney win her premier event – the 100-breast. The final racing of the day was the 200-freestyle relay which Cristal, LaBrose, Michelle Murphy, and Abby Swanson won for the women, while Dan Berke, Krone, Kevin Burns, and Jack Fulham touched second for the men.
 
Air Force's men did take down two facility records as well. Evan Witte posted the fastest 400-IM in Mines Natatorium history, and Lucas Gerten earned the highest 3-meter (six dives) score in the history of the facility.

Mines returns to action on Friday, Jan. 2 at the University of Denver. A full preview and any live coverage information will be available leading up to the dual at www.minesathletics.com.
 
Fans can keep up with Mines swimming on "X" (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram at @MinesSwimming. They can also keep up with Colorado School of Mines Athletics all year long on Facebook, "X" and Instagram using the handle @MinesAthletics.