WEST CHESTER, PA – West Chester University is sending four swimmers, two men and two women, to the NCAA Division II Swimming & Diving Championships in Evansville, Ind., this week. Seniors
Paul Demesy (Saint Ulrich, France) and
Lenya Ryan (Wilmington, Del./Mt. Pleasant) lead the men's and women's teams as returning participants in the national meet while freshmen
Marti Rosell Diez (L'Albiol, Spain) and
Greta Saville (Mordialloc, Australia) are making their first trips to the NCAAs.
"The four who are here aren't here by accident," West Chester Swimming Head Coach
Steve Mazurek said. "They each bring an exceptional work ethic to the pool each day. They all have things they'd like to accomplish, but these four also understand that effort and attitude are the only two things they can control right now. This group does an outstanding job with that."
Demesy has swam the 500-yard, 1000-yard and 1650 freestyles at the NCAAs in each of the past three years. He was runner-up in the 1650, fourth in the 1000 and 10th in the 500 a year ago. That landed him a pair of All-America certificates and one honorable mention citation. His times in the 1000 and the 1650 both set new Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) records making him the fastest distance swimmer in PSAC history. In 2025, he placed third in the mile, sixth in the 1000 and 10th in the 500 while also swimming the 200. That effort produced two more All-America plaudits and one honorable mention. He was fourth in the 1650 in 2023 and 10th in the 1000 his first time at nationals. Demesy has acquired eight All-America documents while swimming in the 'A' Finals in five of the nine events at nationals in his college career. He will swim all three distance events again this week (500, 1000 and 1650).
Ryan returns to the NCAA Championships having swam the 200 individual medley and the 200 breaststroke at the 2024 championships. Her best finish that year was 15th in the 200 breast that earned her an honorable mention All-America citation. She will swim those two events again this time around in her senior year while adding the 400 IM, which she qualified for, but was scratched from, her sophomore year due to illness.
"The training leading into nationals should feel like a natural step forward," Mazurek added. "But, it's a different energy with only four. The challenge is keeping that team feel without the numbers. The key is to not change too much. These four are doing a great job."
Diez will join Demesy in the three distance events (500, 1000 and 1650 free) while also swimming the 200 free. Saville will also swim the three distance events on the women's side.
"Paul and Lenya have been here before and it shows," Mazurek continued. "Marti and Greta are taking their cues from the seniors. I think Paul and Lenya take some pride in knowing they are shaping the national teams of the future."
West Chester will hit the water at the NCAA Division II Swimming & Diving Championships on Wednesday with the 1000 free and 200 IM. Each will have a prelim race in the morning at 10 a.m. with the finals scheduled for the evening at 5:30 p.m. On Thursday, Ryan will swim the 400 IM while Diez swims the 200 free. The 500 free will take place on Friday with the 1650 free and 200 breast going off on Saturday.
