Leavenworth, Kan.-At the Spire Relays hosted at Lansing High School on Saturday, October 11th the University of Saint Mary Spires showcased exceptional performances on both the women's and men's sides. The Spire women's swimming team triumphed, securing first place with a total of 220 points, while the men's team also had a strong showing, placing second with 110 points.

The women's team had great depth with multiple relays in nearly every event, helping USM score in their respected events. The women's side excelled in several events, claiming top positions in the 3x100 Yard Butterfly Relay and the 3x100 Yard Backstroke Relay with final times of 3:11.59 and 3:18.46 respectively. Standout performers included Ayla Pierce, Leah Rogers, MaryBeth Clark, and Olivia Ringle. The men's team saw significant victories as well, with a first-place finish in the 3x100 Yard Breaststroke Relay and a second-place finish in the 3x100 Yard Butterfly Relay. Key contributors to these successes included Brandon Kendall, Silas Kirchoff, and Ian Lucas.

Head coach David Bresser was thrilled with his teams' performances, stating "The fun thing about an all-relay meet is putting your team and teammates first. Overall, I am really proud of our team, we swam well and looked great after a tough week of training. Everyone stepped up today, they were great hosts, teammates, and competitors and we are finally starting to see the entire team come together. It's exciting to see our younger athletes realize they can contribute and that we really need them to contribute, that everyone is apart of this team and our success."

In addition to relay victories, the women's team also achieved first place in larger team events such as the 800 Yard Freestyle and the 400 Yard Medley Relay, underlining their broad skill set and team coordination. The day was also marked by notable individual and group performances in varied relay styles across the board, reflecting the depth and versatility of the Spires.

Looking ahead, the Spires will hit the road and are scheduled to compete next at the Hendrix Relays/Hendrix Invitational in Conway, Arkansas, on Friday, October 24th. This was a huge step forward in the progress needed towards the end of season achievements.