TCU’s Filip Suchanski (men’s co-swimmer), David Ekdahl (men’s diver), Nina Vadovicova (women’s swimmer), Emma Larcada Herrera (women’s diver) and Nicole Christensen (women’s co-newcomer) were joined by West Virginia’s Caden Oprandy (men’s co-swimmer), Jake Salcedo (men’s newcomer) and Macey Larson (women’s co-newcomer) as recipients of the Big 12 Swimming and Diving weekly awards for the first week of the season.
Suchanski opened his sophomore campaign with three victories and a runner-up finish against Incarnate Word. The Niedrzwica Duza, Poland native won the 100 backstroke with a time of 47.83, the ninth-fastest in program history, and finished second in the 50 back (22.67). Suchanski also contributed to two relay wins as he led off with a 1:38.19 split in the 800 free relay and a 1:14.84 split in the backstroke leg of the 600 medley relay. It is the second Conference weekly award of his career after being named the Big 12 Men’s Swimmer of the Week on Feb. 5, 2025.
Oprandy made his collegiate debut at the FSU Invite, highlighting his meet with a third-place result in the 200 breaststroke (2:00.53), less than a second behind the winning time. He also added two fourth-place relay finishes in the 100 and 200 medley relays. The freshman was one of three WVU male swimmers to achieve a top-three individual finish. It is the first Big 12 weekly award of his career.
Ekdahl swept both springboard events against Incarnate Word, winning the 1-meter (357.70) and 3-meter (338.30) competitions. The graduate student’s 1-meter score ranks sixth in school history, while he already owns the school record with a score of 419.80, set back in 2023. The award marks the ninth time he has received a Conference accolade in his career.
Salcedo received the highest finish in all events for West Virginia at the FSU Invite, finishing second in the 500 freestyle (4:30.02) in his first collegiate meet. The Fresno, California native is the third Mountaineer in program history to be named the Big 12 Men’s Newcomer of the Week.
Vadovicova claimed three victories in TCU’s opener by winning the 50 breaststroke (28.79), 100 breaststroke (1:01.97) and 600 medley relay (5:59.30). The junior scored 18 points for the Horned Frogs to help secure the meet win over Incarnate Word. The distinction gives the Selpice, Slovakia native her third honor of her career.
Larcada Herrera opened her season with a win on the 1-meter (261.35) and a runner-up finish on the 3-meter (264.20), missing the top spot by just 0.4 points. It is the first Conference weekly award of her career.
Christensen, a freshman from Lake Forest, California, won two individual events in the 100 IM (58.97) and 200 IM (2:05.98), while also anchoring the winning 800 free relay (1:55.69 split). She rounded out her meet by contributing to a second-place effort in the 600 medley relay (1:44.54 split) in her first collegiate meet for TCU.
Larson made her WVU debut with three top-four finishes at the FSU invite. The freshman from Coquitlam, British Columbia, placed fourth in the 200 breaststroke (2:18.70) and added a bronze medal in the 100 medley relay (46.36) and fourth-place finish in the 200 medley relay (1:43.30).
Big 12 Swimming and Diving Weekly Awards- October 2
Men’s Co-Swimmers of the Week: Filip Suchanski, TCU & Caden Oprandy, WVU
Men’s Diver of the Week: David Ekdahl, TCU
Men’s Newcomer of the Week: Jake Salcedo, West Virginia
Women’s Swimmer of the Week: Nina Vadovicova, TCU
Women’s Diver of the Week: Emma Larcada Herrera, TCU
Women’s Co-Newcomers of the Week: Nicole Christensen, TCU & Macey Larson, West Virginia