WILKES-BARRE, PA (January 28, 2023) -- At the Wyoming Valley CYC, the King's College men's swimming team posted a dominant 108-43 win over cross-town rival Wilkes University on Saturday afternoon. In their final dual meet of the season, the Monarchs improve to 5-6, while the Colonels drop to 2-10.
 
King's (5-6) performed well in the meet as they won each event they swam. The meet started with the Monarch relay team of Ryan Bixler, Andrew Pursel, Blaze Graham, and Anthony Macko recording a time of 1:48.36 in the 200-yard medley relay to place first.
 
Anthony Ursini then won the 1,000-yard freestyle with a time of 11:08.24, before Bixler edged out Wilkes' (2-10) Ashton Dainty in the 200-yard freestyle as he posted a time of 1:55.44.
 
A trio of Monarchs swam in the 50-yard freestyle, led by Pursel who finished first in 23.15, while Graham posted a second-place finish in 23.16 seconds just behind Pursel. Joey Slish rounded out the Monarch swimmers in the event as he crossed in 26.40 seconds.
 
Erik Aguero followed up that impressive performance with a win in the 200-yard IM in 2:15.37. Pursel and Graham finished neck-and-neck again in the 100-yard butterfly as Pursel took first in 57.38 seconds and Graham finished in 57.82 seconds. Slish came in fourth in the event as he posted a time of 1:08.80.
 
In the 100-yard freestyle, it was Macko and Ursini to finish first and second, respectively, as Macko recorded a time of 51.88 seconds and Ursini finished in 54.44 seconds. As the lone Monarch in the 100-yard backstroke, Bixler took the top spot as he edged out two Colonels with a time of 1:03.07.
 
Aguero recorded his second win of the day as he earned the first-place finish in the 500-yard freestyle in 5:27.47. For the final event of the day, the Monarchs defeated the Colonels in the 200-yard freestyle relay as the team of Aguero, Ursini, Slish, and Macko posted a time of 1:39.12 to secure the 108-43 win on Saturday.
 
The Monarchs will now begin final preparations for the 2023 MAC Championships. The four-day event will be held at York College (Pa.)'s Graham Aquatic Center from February 9 to 11.