Bulls’ Swimmers Cap Off Season at National Invitational Championship

Thursday, March 12

Ocala, Fla

All Day

University at Buffalo

National Invitational Championships

Photo by: Paul Hokanson/UB Athletics

Bulls’ Swimmers Cap Off Season at National Invitational Championship

3/14/2026 8:28:00 PM | Swimming and Diving

OCALA, Fla. – The University at Buffalo swimming and diving program competed at the National Invitational Championship on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, hosted by the College Swimming Coaches Association of America. The Bulls sent 10 swimmers to compete amongst the national competition. At the end of the three-day meet the program ranked 14^th of 52 teams with 217.5 points.

DAY ONE

The Bulls highlighted the opening day of competition by placing 10^th of 31 teams in the 200-yard freestyle relay. Nicole Aguilar, Jillian Strine, Amanda Jurgelon and Alex Bulat combined to finish the event in 1:32.86. The time fell nearly two seconds shy of the program's all-time top 10 for the event (1:30.64). The Bulls doubled back to take 13^th in the 400-yard medley relay. Hattie Wasmuth, Ava Pauly, Aguilar and Strine completed the relay in 3:43.82.

Kamilla Nemes finished 22^nd in the preliminary round of the 200-yard individual medley. The freshman's time of 2:03.17 missed the consolation finals cut by less than two tenths of a second (2:03.00). Bella Forsman also participated for the Bulls, placing 40^th (2:04.97).

Aguilar competed in the 50-yard butterfly, posting a time of 25.16. The senior missed the consolation finals qualifying time of 25.11 by less than a tenth of a second.

Pauly finished 30^th in the preliminary round of the 50-yard breaststroke with a time of 29.35. Grace Rider trailed to take 34^th (29.41).

Strine participated in the preliminary round of the 50-yard freestyle, finishing the event in 23.68 to place 45^th. The junior was nearly three-tenths of a second shy of the consolation finals cut (23.32). Jurgelon (46^th, 23.69) and Bulat (59^th, 23.92) also competed for the Bulls.

Wasmuth posted a season-best time of 26.37 in the 50-yard backstroke. The freshman placed 55^th in the event.

DAY TWO

Elise McCaul was the first of two Buffalo swimmers to compete in the finals on day two. The senior placed 18^th in the 400-yard individual medley, taking eighth in the consolation finals heat with a time of 4:23.53. McCaul opened day two on a strong note for the Bulls, qualifying for the finals of the event by placing 17^th of 53 swimmers with a time of 4:22.81. Nemes also competed in the preliminary round, finishing 21^st with a time of 4:23.45 and missing the finals cut by less than three tenths of a second (4:23.17).

Aguilar was the second of the Bulls' finals qualifiers on day two. The senior competed in the consolation finals of the 100-yard butterfly, placing 13^th overall and third in the heat with a time of 53.79. Aguilar qualified for the finals by placing 14^th of 52 swimmers in the preliminary round (54.44).

Pauly competed in the 100-yard breaststroke preliminary round for the Bulls. The sophomore placed 33^rd of 54 swimmers with a time of 1:03.41. Pauly missed the top-20 consolation finals cut by less than a second (1:02.84).

The Bulls placed 22^nd in the 200-yard medley relay. The team of Wasmuth, Rider, Aguilar and Jurgelon finished the event in 1:42.74. The program then concluded day two by placing 12^th of 35 teams in the 800-yard freestyle relay. Forsman, McCaul, Bulat and Nemes combined to finish the event in 7:22.12.

DAY THREE

Nemes highlighted day three for the program by competing in the consolation finals of the 200-yard butterfly. The freshman placed third in the heat with a personal time of 1:59.90, taking 12th overall. Nemes' finals time was a new personal best that ranks seventh in program history. The freshman qualified for the consolation finals by finishing 17^th of 51 swimmers in the preliminary round with a time of 2:02.31.

Aguilar competed in the 100-yard individual medley. The senior finished 25^th in the field of 65 swimmers with a time of 57.34. Aguilar's time was a season-best for the Bulls and just shy of her personal record (57.20). Three more Bulls competed in the preliminary round of the event. Forsman placed 38^th (57.72), Rider finished 52^nd (58.54) and Nemes placed 55^th (58.69).

Wasmuth finished 32^nd in the 200-yard backstroke preliminary round with a time of 2:00.80. The freshman was under two seconds shy of the consolation finals cut (1:59.37) and her personal best in the event (1:59.42), which ranks sixth in program history.

Jurgelon competed in the 100-yard freestyle, placing 45^th of 67 swimmers in the preliminary round with a time of 51.42. The junior was less than a second shy of the consolation finals cut (50.65). Strine (51^st, 51.63) and Bulat (55^th, 51.78) also competed for the program.

Pauly finished 31^st of 47 swimmers in the 200-yard breaststroke preliminary round (2:19.28).

All information from the National Invitational Championship can be accessed here.

UP NEXT

The swimming and diving season will be concluded with NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships, where freshman diver Adele Melamud will represent the Bulls in one-meter diving on Thursday, March 19^th, and in three-meter diving on Friday, March 20^th. More information regarding Melamud's qualification for NCAA Championships can be found here.

For all the latest on Buffalo Swimming & Diving, check out the official website of the Buffalo Bulls, and follow the program on Instagram (@UBSwimDiveTeam), X (@UBSwimDiveTeam) and Facebook ("Buffalo Bulls Swimming and Diving").

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