MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (March 12, 2024) - The St. Thomas University (STU) Men's Swimming and Diving team made South Florida history, achieving something no other team has done at St. Thomas, that being a National Championship on the men's side. The men had eight individual National titles, and three individual national Championships. The men snapped a 5-year winning streak of men's national championships for Keiser University. Coming into the 2024 NAIA Men's Swimming & Diving National Championship, the Bobcat Men were projected to lose by 141 points after scoring out the psych sheets.

When asked what it took to come out on top, here's what Head Coach Ceasar Asadi had to say-  "It was a 'David vs. Goliah' moment for the program and centered around Isaiah 6:8 as his phrase for the 2024 Championship Season. The men knew it would take all 17 on the national roster to make this a reality, and time after time they stepped up for themselves, our program and university. It was truly a miracle in the water."


Individual Titles

Sophomore Daniel Laureyssens was a National Champion in the 500-yard Freestyle (4:25.32), as well as the 200-yard Freestyle (1:36.36). Junior Alex Marrero was a National Champion in the 100-yard Backstroke (48.10), and the 100-yard Freestyle (43.86). Graduate Student Steven Aimable was a National Champion in the 100-yard Butterfly (47.29), and the 200-yard Butterfly (1:46.56).

Men's Relays 

The Bobcats won three relay national titles, and broke 2 NAIA National Records in the process. The men swam the fastest ever in the NAIA division's 67-year history of hosting men's collegiate swimming & diving. In the 800-yard Freestyle Relay, Nestor Montero, Robert Garden, William Birkett and Deniel Laureyssens were crowned National Champions and broke the NAIA record, with a time of (6:30.18). In the 400-yard Freestyle Relay compiled of William Birkett, Robert Garden, Alex Marrero, and Daniel Laureyssens, they also were crowned National Champions while braking the NAIA record with a time of (2:56.22). And in the 200-yard relay with Alex Marrero, Steven Aimable, William Birkett, and Daniel Laureyssens, the Bobcats were once agian crowned National Champions with a finishing time of (1:18.76).