ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Macalester College men’s swimming & diving team hosted Saint John’s University in the season-opening meet Saturday afternoon at Riley Pool. The Scots came away with the victory, 155 to 143 in the team scoring.
The Scots won eight individual events and both relays, with the foursome of sophomore Kean Pajarillaga (Saipan, Marianas Pacific/Grace Christian Academy), senior Will St. John (McGaheysville, Va./East Rockingham), first year Edward Barnes (Amherst, N.H./Souhegan) and senior TJ Palli (Maple Grove, Minn./Maple Grove) opening the meet by winning the 200-yard medley relay in 1:38.80. Palli, senior Casey Meretta (Potomac, Md./Winston Churchill), first year Jamie Soutter (Portland, Ore./Pacific Crest Community School) and sophomore Max Taufen (Evanston, Ill./Evanston Township) closed the day with a victory in the 200-yard freestyle relay with a time of 1:27.87.
Palli, who did not compete last spring, celebrated his return to the pool with wins in both the 50-yard freestyle (21.96) and the 100-yard freestyle (48.38). Taufen, who was second behind Palli in the 100 freestyle, finished first in the 200-yard freestyle in 1:49.37 and also won the 200-yard individual medley in 2:06.20. Pajarillaga took first in the 200-yard backstroke in 1:58.72 and also placed second in the 100-yard butterfly behind sophomore Jack Schumacher (Golden, Colo./Lakewood), who won with a time of 54.40. Barnes placed first in the 200-yard butterfly (2:04.12), second in the 500-yard freestyle (5:05.08) and third in the 200-yard freestyle. St. John won the 200-yard breaststroke (2:15.53) and finished second in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:01.93).
Also swimming well were sophomore Bode Thompson (Blacksburg, Va./Blacksburg), who was second in both the 200 butterfly (2:05.82) and the 200 backstroke (2:08.30) and first year Isaac Snaza (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville North), who was third in the 1000-yard freestyle (10:54.35).
In the diving events, senior Dylan Herlihy (Reading, Mass./Phillips Academy Andover) placed second on the 3-meter board with a score of 217.40 and finished third on the 1-meter board with a score of 208.60.
Macalester’s next meet is at Carleton College on Saturday, Nov. 8 in Northfield, Minn.
Click here for complete results.
Macalester College is a Top 25 Liberal Arts College in St. Paul, MN known for its rigorous academics, commitment to community, service to society, and internationalism and multiculturalism. A MIAC program on the rise — the swimming and diving Scots have broken 20+ school records in each of the past two seasons; the women’s team finished runner-up in 2025. Curiosity. Competition and Drive. Community. #GoScots #MacalesterSwive