The Valparaiso men’s and women’s swimming teams kicked off the first day of the 2016 Horizon League Championships in Rochester, Mich. on Wednesday evening. Day one of the four-day league championship meet included a pair of relays for both the men and the women.

The Crusader men’s team scored 26 points in the 800 free relay, finishing in sixth place with a time of 6:58.32. The team of Gonzalo Castro Diaz (Mexico City, Mexico/Instituto Oxford), Colten Lawson (West Bend, Wis./West Bend East), Mac Sogandares (Reston, Va./South Lakes) and Arman Salim (Angola, Ind./Fremont) moved into second place all-time in the Valpo record book in the event.

On the men’s side, Valpo also picked up 24 points in the 200 medley relay event. The team of Max Penn (Columbus, Ohio/St. Charles Prep) Fred Jenny (New Albany, Ohio/New Albany), Castro Diaz, and Tim Mitchell (Lakeville, Minn./North) finished in a time of 1:33.63, placing them second in the Crusader record book.

The women’s team captured 22 points in the 800 free relay, finishing in 7:54.55 with the team of Emily Trimpe (New Palestine, Ind./New Palestine), Amanda Jenny (New Albany, Ohio/New Albany), Paiton Krebs (Sarasota, Fla./Cardinal Mooney), and Rachel Law (Wayne, Pa./Villa Maria Academy). The team’s finishing time places them in sixth all-time in Valpo history.

The Crusader men currently sit in sixth place with 50 total points, while the women are in eighth place with 22 points after day one.

League championship action continues tomorrow and can be followed online via live scoring and ESPN3 video at Valpoathletics.com.