The water was stirred, and not just by the swimmers! The Minnesota First Chance Meet saw a cascade of personal bests, but for the home team, the Gophers, it was a surprisingly tough outing at their own pool.
This past weekend, from February 6th to 7th, 2026, the Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center in Minneapolis became the battleground for the 2026 Minnesota First Chance Meet. This event, swum in short course yards (SCY), brought together a diverse group of collegiate swimmers, 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. While many swimmers achieved personal milestones, the spotlight, in this instance, shines on the Gophers' significant performance improvements as they gear up for the demanding Big Ten Swimming and Diving Championships.
But here's where it gets interesting: The Gophers, despite being the home team, experienced what could be described as a massive drop in their overall performance relative to expectations, though this was punctuated by an impressive ten lifetime best performances across the weekend. This dichotomy is what makes competitive swimming so compelling!
On the women's side, Gopher senior Ava Yablonski was a force to be reckoned with in the 500 freestyle. She didn't just win; she dominated, finishing a staggering nearly 20 seconds ahead of the competition with a time of 4:57.90. This swim shattered her previous personal best from 2021, which stood at 5:03.05. Talk about a statement swim!
And this is the part most people miss: The Gopher women showcased incredible depth in the sprint freestyle. Three swimmers – junior Morgan Thomas (22.76), sophomore Kamdyn Periat (22.85), and sophomore Rachel Conley (22.99) – all broke the 23-second barrier in the 50 freestyle, securing a clean 1-2-3 finish. For Conley, this was a new career-best. Periat also continued her impressive weekend, notching a new lifetime best in the 200 backstroke with a winning time of 1:58.96, a significant improvement from her previous best of 2:00.16.
Freshman Finnly Jollands also made her mark, delivering the fastest 200 individual medley (IM) of the meet and a personal best for herself, clocking in at 2:02.44, nearly three seconds ahead of the rest of the field. This is a fantastic achievement for a freshman!
In the women's 100 butterfly, the competition was fierce, with six different schools represented in the top seven finishers. Minnesota's Mira Keller emerged victorious with a strong swim of 55.27. St. Thomas' Emily Wooden followed at 58.05, with UW-La Crosse's Ava Pulvermacher taking third in 58.18.
Now, for the men, it was a Gopher takeover in the 100 breaststroke! The team secured an astounding 1-2-3-4-5 finish, led by freshmen Luke Mychalowych (53.98) and Joe Polyak (54.58). Both swimmers achieved season bests, and impressively, all five Gopher breaststrokers finished under the 55.5-second mark. This kind of team depth is what championship teams are made of!
Senior Alberto Hernandez achieved a significant personal milestone in the 500 freestyle, recording his fastest time ever at 4:19.46. This was an improvement of over 15 seconds from his previous best of 4:35.01, which he set back in October. What a difference a few months can make!
The Gopher men also dominated the 50 freestyle, claiming the top four spots. Sophomore Jacob Johnson led the charge with a winning time of 20.04. Junior Ryan Slonac followed closely in 20.34, a new lifetime best for him. Slonac also showcased his versatility by winning the 400 IM on day two with a time of 3:53.45, the only swimmer to break the 4:00 barrier in that event.
However, not all the individual brilliance belonged to the Gophers. St. Thomas' Miggy San Jose delivered a truly exceptional performance in the men's 200 backstroke, winning by an astonishing seven seconds with a personal best of 1:53.10. This level of dominance is rare and truly remarkable.
This meet clearly showcased incredible individual talent and a strong drive for personal improvement. But does such a high number of lifetime bests at a 'First Chance' meet, especially for the home team, signal peak performance or a strategic tapering before a bigger event? What are your thoughts on how teams approach these meets leading up to championships? Let us know in the comments below!
