University at Buffalo
Cornell
Bulls Defeat Purple Eagles in Swim & Dive Season Opener
10/17/2026 7:34:00 PM | Swimming and Diving
BUFFALO, NY – The University at Buffalo swimming and diving program opened the 2026-2027 season in the Broadview Arena Natatorium, competing against the Cornell University Big Red and Niagara University Purple Eagles. The Bulls defeated Niagara, 216-78, to open the season with a win and advance to 38-7 all-time against the Purple Eagles. The competition against Cornell was not scored.
SWIMMING
The Bulls opened the meet with a win in the 200-yard medley relay. Elisabeth Breck, Pinar Donmez, Bella Forsman and Jillian Strine took first place with a time of 1:44.56. The Bulls also took second in the event, with Alice Bartola, Grace Rider, Maddy Schnelzer and Alex Bulat finishing in 1:45.29.
Kamilla Nemes ended her freshman campaign earning All-MAC Second Team honors and continued that momentum in the pool on Saturday. The sophomore won the opening 400-yard individual medley with a time of 4:27.04. Nemes doubled back to finish second in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 5:06.03 and second in the 100-yard individual medley (59.07).
Forsman was another All-MAC Second Team honoree a year ago. The junior opened her season with a second-place finish in the 200-yard freestyle and a time of 1:54.27. Bulat trailed closely to take third (1:54.49). Forsman later finished fourth in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:06.22) and third in the 100-yard individual medley (59.39).
Grace Rider, Donmez and Ava Pauly were strong in the breaststroke events for the Bulls. The trio took the top three spots in the 50-yard breaststroke, with Rider in first (29.91), Donmez in second (29.97) and Pauly in third (30.06). Donmez later won the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:04.58, followed closely by Rider (1:05.97) who earned second. Donmez also won the 100-yard individual medley with a time of 59.01.
Maddy Schnelzer placed second in the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 58.29. The junior later earned fourth in the 100-yard backstroke (59.73) and fourth in the 50-yard butterfly (26.28).
Amanda Jurgelon and Strine earned top three placements in the 50-yard freestyle. Jurgelon placed second of 10 swimmers with a time of 24.35. Strine earned third with a time of 24.39. Jurgelon's time was just over second shy of her personal best in the event (23.25). In the 100-yard freestyle, it was Bulat who placed second (52.28), with Jurgelon in third (53.22) and Strine in fourth (53.28) to give the program three of the top four spots.
The Bulls got numerous contributions from their freshmen in the opening meet of the season. Breck was the Bulls' top finisher in the 50-yard backstroke with a time of 26.43, finishing second. The Florida native doubled back to place second in the 100-yard backstroke too, posting a time of 57.96. Freshman teammate Alice Bartola placed third (58.13), followed by two juniors in Schnelzer (4th, 59.73) and Ericson (5th, 1:00.17) for the Bulls to earn four of the top five placements. Agata Puchala placed fourth in the 400-yard individual medley with a time of 4:37.86. The Georgia native also finished fourth in the 100-yard butterfly (58.86). Alyssa Chambers earned a fourth-place finish in the 200-yard freestyle (1:54.95) and Bridget Reilly took fifth (1:55.94), putting four Buffalo swimmers inside the top five to place. Reilly later finished fifth in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 5:11.28, as Sophie Thornburg placed sixth (5:14.88) and Chambers finished eighth (5:19.75) to earn four of the top eight spots for the program.
"At practice we get to know the freshmen, but at meets things can change," said Bashor. "It allows our coaching staff to better prepare them at practice and to race at future meets. Today was a great start."
The Bulls closed out the meet by taking first place in the 400-yard freestyle relay. Bulat, Chambers, Jurgelon and Strine earned first place with a time of 3:30.69. A team of Reilly, Puchala, Pauly and Thornburg also placed fourth in the event (3:39.68).
DIVING
Adele Melamud had a historic day in the diving well. The sophomore began by winning the three-meter event with a score of 338.70, a new personal best that ranks fifth in program history. Melamud followed the performance by winning the one-meter event too, posting a personal record score of 281.10. The performance entered the program record book at 10th. Melamud qualified for the NCAA Zone A Diving Championships in both the one and three meter with the performances.
Maggie Meyers took second place in the three-meter for the Bulls with a score of 267.60. Sophie Meuwissen (5th, 237.60) added a top-five placement and Tristan Krajcarski finished sixth (229.50).
In the one-meter, the Bulls earned the top three spots. Meuwissen (257.33) took second to Melamud, with Krajcarski (238.65) earning third. Daphne Fox placed fifth with a score of 234.60 to put four Bulls inside the top five. Meyers rounded out the Buffalo divers in eighth (220.35).
All swimming and diving results from Saturday.
UP NEXT
The Bulls will next compete on Friday, October 30th, and Saturday, October 31st, at Eastern Michigan. A full schedule for UB Swimming & Diving.
For all the latest on Buffalo Swimming & Diving, check out the official website of the Buffalo Bulls, and follow the program on Instagram (@UBuffaloSD), X (@UBuffaloSD) and Facebook ("Buffalo Bulls Swimming and Diving").
