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WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University of Minnesota swimming and diving teams kicked off their seasons Friday evening against Luther—and Cardinal coach Amber Bartholomew had plenty to smile about.
 
Grace VanBeest (Flossmoor, Ill.) led the way for the Cardinal women, winning the 100 breaststroke (1:13.31), while also teaming with Kizzy Bell (St. Paul, Minn.), Reece Galewski (Winona, Minn.), and Christina Weldai (London, England) to win the 200-medley relay with a time of 1:59.56
 
Joe Tonda (St. Paul, Minn.) kicked off his senior campaign in stellar fashion, placing second in the 500 freestyle (5:36.52) and third in the 100 backstroke (1:00.33).
 
Weldai also added a pair of second-place efforts in the 50 freestyle (26.92) and 100 backstroke (1:11.56), while Galewski was second in the 100 butterfly (1:05.40) and Bell was second to VanBeest in the 100 breaststroke (1:14.88). Ailie Davidson (Duluth, Minn.) recorded third-place performances in both the one-meter and three-meter diving competitions, with the 200 freestyle relay team of Spencer Johnson, Zoe Schaetz (Winona, Minn.), Caroline Hoffman (Chicago, Ill.), and Hannah Emeott (Chisago City, Minn.) added a second-place time of 1:59.52.
 
Along with Tonda's second and third, the Cardinal men also got a second-place showing by Matt Clayton (Forest Lake, Minn.) in the 100 breaststroke (1:03.88) and a third-place time by Lucas Gerads (St. Cloud, Minn.) in the 100 butterfly (57.29). Tonda, Gerads, and Clayton also teamed with Nick Sawchuk (Rochester, Minn.) to place second in the 200 freestyle relay with a time of 1:37.36.
 
The Cardinals are right back in action on Saturday, heading to St. Paul, Minn., to take part in the St. Thomas Tommie Relays.