Aliso Viejo, Calif. - OUAZ men's and women's swimming turned in a strong and balanced performance at the 2026 GSAC Championships, held January 30–31 at Irvine Novaquatics, as both programs finished fifth overall in their respective team standings and fifth in the combined team scores. The Spirit men accumulated 64.5 points, while the women totaled 39 points, combining for 103.5 points and underscoring OUAZ's depth across both squads.
The championship opened with an early highlight on Day 1, as the OUAZ women's 200-yard freestyle relay team of Marissa Brisco, Maja Pekar, Avery Demitropoulos, and Jocy Cortez earned a third-place finish, setting the tone for the remainder of the meet. On the men's side, Reuben Dobson delivered an outstanding championship performance, capturing third place in the 100-yard butterfly before following it up with a second-place finish in the 200-yard butterfly, marking one of the top individual performances of the meet for the Spirit.
The women's team continued to produce key results in individual events, led by Jocy Cortez, who secured a third-place finish in the 200-yard backstroke, adding another podium result for OUAZ. Across both days of competition, Spirit swimmers consistently qualified for finals and contributed points through a combination of relay efforts and individual swims, allowing both teams to remain competitive throughout the championship.
OUAZ's fifth-place finishes in the men's, women's, and combined standings reflect continued progress within the GSAC and highlight the program's growing presence at the conference level as the Spirit closed out the championship meet. Up next, OUAZ swimming will turn its attention to the 2026 PCSC Swimming Championships, scheduled for February 11–14, as the Spirit look to carry their momentum into the postseason.
