Aztecs to Open 2025-26 Season on Friday at USD Pentathlon
SAN DIEGO – San Diego State swimmers open their 2025-26 season in earnest on Friday, Sept. 19, when they pay a visit to the University of San Diego in the annual pentathlon meet between the two schools at USD Sports Center Pool. First race is set for 1 p.m., and admission is free.
The Aztecs posted a 10-0 record in dual meets last season and have not been defeated in their last 75 duals since Jan. 8, 2018, a span of over seven years. In addition, SDSU has completed an unblemished dual-meet schedule in 10 of the last 11 seasons.
Head coach Mike Shrader, who is entering his 19th season at the helm of the Aztec program, directed the Scarlet and Black to its fourth consecutive Mountain West title during the 2024-25 campaign and sixth in the last seven years.
The accomplished SDSU staff also features Joe Spahn, who begins his fourth season as the program's associate head coach and sixth overall, along with Roland McDonald, who was named Mountain West Diving Coach of the Year for the second straight season in 2025 and the fourth occasion during his tenure on The Mesa.
Friday's meet will mark the 14th time in the last 15 seasons in which San Diego State opened its season with a pentathlon meet against USD, with the Scarlet and Black winning all 13 previous encounters.
Last year, the Aztecs boasted the top 11 pentathlon finishers, including Reka Nyiradi, who claimed the individual title with a combined time of 4.53.92, topping Liv Peebles (4:55.89) by nearly two seconds.
SDSU returns five additional swimmers from that list, including Alli Mann (4:59.09), who slotted fifth in the final standings, while Moa Bergdahl (5:00.51) placed sixth, followed by Charlotte Sevin (7th, 5:06.00), Kaydence Bispo (8th, 5:06.28) and Grace Mering (10th, 5:09.22).
Nyiradi emerged victorious in a pair of individual pentathlon events, including the 100 butterfly, where she touched the wall at 56.39, edging Mann, who clocked in at 56.80. The Budapest, Hungary, native also topped the field in the 100 individual medley with a time of 59.04, while Peebles finished second (59.16).
Other pentathlon event winners included Mann in the 100 free (51.26), Peebles in the 100 back (56.91) and Bergdahl in the 100 breaststroke (1:02.64).
The teams conducted additional events that were not scored in the final results, including the 50 back, where Abby Storm emerged triumphant with a sprint of 26.42, followed in succession by Peebles (26.87) and Nyiradi (27.54).
At the 2025 Mountain West Championships, Bergdahl, Storm and Mann earned all-conference honors in five events, while Bispo collected four certificates.
San Diego State returns to competition next week when it renews acquaintances with the Toreros in another dual meet at USD Sports Center Pool on Friday, Sept. 26, beginning at 1 p.m.