Cowboys Close out 2025 WAC Championships

Smith Wins Second WAC Championship Title, Sweeps Butterfly Events

HOUSTON, Texas (3/1/25) – The University of Wyoming men’s swimming and diving team closed out the 2025 WAC Championships Saturday evening. The Cowboys claimed two individual WAC titles, saw another individual and two relay teams make the podium, as well as logged numerous personal bests.

Wyoming finished in fifth with a score of 365.5.

Head coach Dave Denniston acknowledged the important role this senior class has played on his team this year, as well as during the meet this week.

“Overall, the week was fun, and our seniors really stepped up and had a great week,” Denniston said. “They’ve been phenomenal for our program and our team over the last four and five years. To see a lot of them go best times was a lot of fun.”

Denniston also noted how special of a meet this has been for senior Gavin Smith, who became a two-time WAC champion in the 100-yard and 200-yard butterfly this week.

“Gavin winning the 100 and 200 fly is one of the highlights of my coaching career, I couldn’t believe how well he swam those races and swam the way he did to win,” Denniston said.

Gavin Smith completed the sweep of the butterfly events at this year’s WAC Championships, having won the 100-yard butterfly earlier in the week. In what was an insane race with an unbelievable finish, Smith won the second WAC Championship title of his career in the 200-yard butterfly, going 1:43.96.

Derek Long was Wyoming’s highest finisher in the 1650-yard freestyle, coming in 12th with a time of 15:38.10

Caleb Ozenne placed 13th in the 200-yard backstroke off a time of 1:47.37.

In the 100-yard freestyle, Luke O’Connor topped the B final to finish ninth overall, swimming a 44.17.

Griffith Orloff finished 14th overall in the 200-yard breaststroke, going 2:00.98.

Off the platform, Bruno Grau and DeShawn Campbell went 11 and 12 with scores of 261.75 and 258.85.

“Overall, I just loved the energy, the enthusiasm and how much fun these guys had this week.”

Cowboy and Cowgirl swim are set to compete at the CSCAA National Invitational Championships in Ocala, Florida, March 13-15. The divers head to NCAA Zone “E” Diving Championships March 10-15.

Day Three Recap

Smith claimed the title of WAC Champion in the 100-yard butterfly, going 46.45.

Ravegum finished third in the 400-yard IM, reaching the podium after swimming a time of 3:49.34.

Pannell came in sixth in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1:37.12.

The 400-yard medley relay team, comprising of Davis, Louie, Smith and Teller also earned a spot on the podium, finishing third on a time of 3:13.59.

Day Two Recap 

O’Connor, Teller, Borrman and Smith broke the school record in the 200-yard freestyle relay, going 1:18.77 for fourth place.

Ozenne finished fifth in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 4:23.59, while Pannell came in eighth off a time of 4:26.69.

In the 200-yard IM, Ravegum took sixth, logging a time of 1:46.40.

Teller finished eighth in the 50-yard freestyle, swimming a 20.15.

Grau turned in an eighth-place performance off the 3-meter springboard, scoring a 289.10.

Day One Recap 

Davis, Louie, Smith and Teller broke the school record in the 200-yard medley, claiming fourth place on a time of 1:26.56.

Wyoming’s first podium finish of the 2025 WAC Championships came in the 800-yard freestyle relay with a third-place finish. Smith, Pannell, Ravegum and Ozenne swam a collective time of 6:26.58.

In the 1-meter springboard, Campbell took 11th off a score of 274.95 while Grau finished 13th with a score of 259.20.