GENEVA, Ohio (February 17, 2026) — The defending NEC Champion Howard University men's swimming & diving team sits atop the leaderboard after day one of the 2026 NEC Swimming & Diving Championships at the SPIRE Institute.
The Bison totaled 142 points through six events to lead the field.
Howard wasted no time setting the tone, capturing gold in the 200-yard medley relay. Freshmen Kaleb James (Durham, N.C.) and Ayrton Moncur (Nassau, Bahamas), senior Taj Benton (Baltimore) and junior Mason Green (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) combined for a winning time of 1:29.12, earning 40 team points.
On the boards, the Bison placed four divers in the championship final of the 1-meter event. Freshman Kai Lawson (Bethesda, Md.) led the way with a fourth-place finish (251.60), followed by fellow classmate Trevor Sewell (Decatur, Ga.) in fifth (235.95) and sophomores Zion Wilson (San Antonio) and Bamidele Aina (Garland, Texas) in sixth (234.25) and eighth (196.80), respectively. The quartet combined for valuable team points to strengthen Howard's position atop the standings.
The Bison also added points in the 800-yard freestyle relay as seniors Ty Triche (Humble, Texas) and Darien Williams (Philadelphia) and sophomores Jalen Stewart (New Castle, Del.) and Ibrahima Diouf (Arlington, Va.) placed fourth with a time of 6:43.58.
Howard continues competition through Feb. 20 as it looks to defend its conference crown.
For more information, visit the official Howard Athletics website at www.hubison.com.
