The Alaska Nanooks women’s swimming team will begin their 2025-26 season with two dual meets against Fresno Pacific University this week. The matches are scheduled for Friday, October 3 at 4:00 p.m. AKT and Saturday, October 4 at 8:00 a.m. AKT, both taking place at the Sunnyside Aquatic Center in Fresno, California.
The Nanooks recently held their annual Blue/Gold intrasquad meet on September 19-20, where they competed in 17 events over two days. The Gold team secured a narrow victory with a score of 157-152 and eight event wins. Dorka Dancsok led her team by winning three individual events: the 100-yard backstroke (1:01.75), the 200-yard butterfly (2:20.96), and the 200-yard backstroke (2:16.53).
This season, seven swimmers return to the roster: Dorka Dancsok, Eva Markovic, Janci Pangburn, Ali Pecore, Sariah Rodgers, Kaidence Sampsel, and Charisma Watkins. Eight newcomers have joined the squad: Macy Ahrens, Guielsie Borbon, McKenzie Fazio, Kitti Marton, Giorgia Merlo, MacKenzie O’Keefe, Mariia Sirotinskaia and Talia Wentz.
Before their recent Blue/Gold meet on September 19th, the Nanooks swimming team was recognized with an honorarium citation from members of the Thirty-Fourth Alaska State Legislature for being selected as a College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) Fall 2024 Scholar All-America Team.
Their opponent this weekend is Fresno Pacific University’s women’s swimming team, which finished eighth at last year’s PCSC Championships with a total of 374 points. The Sunbirds are coached by Raymond Eggert in his first season; Eggert previously swam for Fresno Pacific from 2008 to 2011.
Last season, Alaska won both dual meets against Fresno Pacific by scores of 145-59 and 147-57. Since the 2013-14 season, Alaska holds a perfect record of three wins without a loss against Fresno Pacific.
Following these dual meets in California, the Nanooks will have three weeks off before returning home to Fairbanks for matchups against Puget Sound on October 24-25 and Simon Fraser on the following weekend.
