LONG BEACH, Calif. — Biola Swim & Dive turned in a gritty, team-first showing at the 2025 MPSF Open Water Championships on Saturday morning at Marine Stadium.

The Eagles' effort was highlighted by top-15 individual finishes from Anthony Ramirez and Josh Peace, and a step forward in the men's team standings. In just their second appearance at the event, the Eagles' men placed sixth overall, while the women earned 10th, building positive momentum for future events

In the men's 5,000-meter championship, freshman Anthony Ramirez led the charge with an impressive 11th-place finish in 1:03:56.63, scoring 15 points for the Eagles. Junior Josh Peace wasn't far behind, clocking 1:04:32.28 to take 15th and contribute 12 more points.

On the women's side, Biola showcased its depth with four student-athletes completing the demanding open-water course. Coco Friedley paced the group in 46th (1:09:50), followed by Chloe Colvard (57th, 1:11:53), Rachel Munch (58th, 1:12:17) and Simei van Staden (59th, 1:12:26).

The Eagles also gained valuable experience in the 2000-meter long course relay, where the men and women each fielded multiple squads as part of Biola's continued growth in distance and open-water training. The men's 'A' team earned a seventh-place relay finish to earn 42 team points. The women's top group of Morgan Carles, Paige Fast, Simei van Staden and Addison McCullough got BU 30 points with a 13th-place finish.

This weekend's performance marks a meaningful step forward for the program. Last season, Biola finished 7th of 7 (men) and 7th of 11 (women) in its MPSF Open Water debut. This year's improvement—particularly the rise in the men's standings—reflects its young core learning to race in open-ocean environments.

Biola now turns its attention back to the chlorinated pool, where the Eagles will continue their fall schedule at a tri-meet hosted by Azusa Pacific on November 1, featuring BU, APU and CMS.