GOLDEN WEST COLLEGE OPENS MEN’S SWIM SEASON WITH INVITE VICTORY
February 20, 2026
Huntington Beach, Calif. - On the campus of Golden West College this past Friday, amidst variable weather conditions, the Rustlers from host GWC finished their first meet of the season on top of the leaderboard. GWC with 605.5 points edged the always strong Riverside City team (581.5) and district rival Orange Coast 421.5. El Camino (364) and Southwestern College (250.5) rounded out the top five.
The team was led by the trio of sophomore Ryan Novak and freshmen Avery Pellicano and Ryder Tonkovich. Novak won the 200 free (1:45.70) and was runner-up in the 500 free and 50 back. Pellicano nabbed the 500 free (4:53.02), was second in the 200 IM and had a personal best in the 100 fly (53.83). Tonkovich finished first in the 100 free (47.56) second in the 50 free and grabbed fifth in the 100 fly.
Other top five finishes individually included Matt Wolf in the 50 breast (5) and 50 fly (5). Daigo Fujita grabbed 4th in the 100 back with a personal best of 57.72. Wyatt Mitchell, a freshman, popped a solid 1:47.43 in the 200 free to secure a third place finish.
The Rustlers also gained big points with all five relays finishing at least fifth overall. The top placing was the 800 free relay quartet of Novak, Fujita, Gavin Little and Pellicano in a first place effort (7:26.32). The 200 medley relay of Pellicano, Little, Jack Wright and Tonkovick was fourth. The 200 free relay consisting of Wright, Novak, Mitchell and Talon Costello picked up third place. The 400 medley relay used the efforts of Pellicano, Wolf, Taylor Juarez and Wright to finish fifth. Finally, the last race of the day saw the Rustlers complete the 400 free relay to come in third overall with the foursome of Pellicano, Novak, Mitchell and Tonkovich netting a 3:21.44 result.
Head Coach Tracy Maurer was generally pleased with the team's racing on Friday. "We swam very well for the most part at this point in the season. We haven't even passed out parkas yet but the veterans are helping the newer athletes to the sport and there is a lot of potential with this group of young men."
GWC travels to Saddleback College next Friday for the first of two Orange-Empire Conference Invitationals.