SIOUX CITY, Iowa – The University of Minnesota Morris women's swim and dive team started 2026 in the win column, defeating Morningside University 131–61 Saturday afternoon in Sioux City, Iowa.
 
To open the meet, Rhio Fay, Kaitlyn Mello, Sam Haaf, and Faith Hamm won the 200-yard medley relay by less than one second. McKenna Falak and Natalie West followed by placing first and second, respectively, in the 1,000-yard freestyle.
 
After Morningside claimed the next two events, Falak and Kennedy Olson recorded the top two finishes in the 200-yard individual medley. First-place finishes continued for UMM as Haaf won the 100-yard butterfly and Fay took first in the 100-yard backstroke. In the 500-yard freestyle, Hamm and Abby Telander finished first and second.
 
Olson and Mello finished within one second of each other to place first and second in the 100-yard breaststroke. UMM closed the meet with another first-place finish as the team of Falak, Fay, Eve Zimmerman, and Shannon Dougherty won the 200-yard freestyle relay.
 
The Cougars will host their next meet on Jan. 23, welcoming Iowa Lakes Community College, with competition beginning at 5 p.m.