O'FALLON, Ill. – The McKendree University men's swimming and diving team opened the home portion of its dual meet schedule here Friday afternoon as the fourth-ranked Bearcats improved to 5-0 on the season in dual meets following its wins Friday over Saint Louis University (209-80) and fellow Great Lakes Valley Conference foe Truman State (222-62) at the McKendree Metro Rec Plex Pool.
 
In Friday's double dual meet, the Bearcats won 15 of the 16 events, including winning the 400 medley relay for the second straight meet and the Bearcat men also turned in two 'B' qualifying times and one automatic qualification in diving thanks to senior Ethan Larson (Anchorage, Alaska/Paidaie Cooperative School) winning the 3-meter diving event with 299.70 points, which was good for NCAA qualification.
 
The Bearcats won 15 of 16 events against both teams as the only event McKendree didn't win was the 400 freestyle relay as Saint Louis went first, third, fourth and fifth, while Truman went second and sixth.
 
Three Bearcats won at three events on Friday, including sophomore Filipe Pinheiro (Rio de Janiero, Brazil/Colegio Ao Cubo) taking home four event wins.

Pinheiro was the second leg on the winning 400 medley relay team that recorded a time of 3:18.37 and was first in the 100 breaststroke (56.25), 200 breaststroke (2:02.31) and 200 IM (1:55.01).
 
Along with Pinheiro, graduate student Xander Skinner (Namibia, Africa/Windhoek Afrikaans Private School) won three events, while junior DaVante Carey (Nassau, Bahamas/Queens College), freshman Filip Cigic (Zagreb, Croatia/Sportska Gimnazija), Larson and freshman Alireza Yavari (Isfahan, Iran/Shayestegan) each won two events.
 
Skinner, who was named this week's PNC GLVC Men's Swimming and Diving Athlete of the Week, took home first place in both the 50 freestyle (20.56) and 100 freestyle (45.17) and was the anchor leg on the winning 400 medley relay team that recorded a time of 3:18.37. Both of Skinner's times in the 50 and 100 freestyle for NCAA 'B' qualifying times.
 
Carey was the first leg on the winning 400 medley relay team and was first in the 100 backstroke (50.11), while Cignic placed first in 1,000 freestyle (9:42.24) and 500 freestyle (4:41.05)  and Yavari was first in the 200 freestyle (1:41.06) and 100 butterfly (50.21).
 
Larson also won both diving events as he placed first in the 1-meter (263.78) and 3-meter boards (299.70). Senior Kenneth Glidden (Georgetown, Cayman Islands/Triple C School) was third and second in the 1-meter and 3-meter diving boards.
 
The other Bearcats to win events were freshman Jackson Lustig (Milwaukee, Wis./Pius XI) as he won the 200 butterfly in a time of 1:51.00, while freshman Patryk Rozenek (Radlin, Poland/Zsoms Raciborz) was first in the 200 backstroke (1:53.31) and senior Gregg Lichinsky (West Des Moines, Iowa/Valley) was the third leg on the 400 medley relay.
 
McKendree also finished first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth in the 200 freestyle, went first through four in both the 100 backstroke and 100 freestyle and was first through third in the 500 freestyle. The Bearcats also claimed the top two finishes in the 400 medley relay, the 3-meter diving and 100 butterfly.
 
The Bearcats continue its homestand with another double dual meet on Saturday, Oct. 23 as they host 14th ranked Delta State and 15th-ranked Missouri S&T beginning at 11 a.m.