Complete results

LAS VEGAS - The Cal State East Bay swimming team opened the UNLV Winter Invitational with appearances in each of the five finals on Saturday night at Buchanan Natatorium. The Pioneers found success in prelims on Saturday morning, placing six individuals in finals at the meet, which includes competition from both Division I and Division II. East Bay sits in fifth place following the first day of competition with 74 points, 34 points back of Fresno Pacific and 42 points ahead of Azusa Pacific.

Jenel Lopez led the way for the Pioneers on day one, posting the top individual finish with her ninth-place showing in the 50 freestyle. Lopez finished just over a second back of the winner, New Mexico's Jorgi Hobson, and joined Fresno Pacific's Katelyn Brown as the only two Division II swimmers to finish in the top 10. Lopez posted her fastest time of the season in the prelims, clocking a 24.18, before touching the wall in 24.26 in the final.

Caitlin DeNise joined Lopez in the final of the 50 free, posting a time of 24.72 to finish 19th. DeNise impressed in the prelims as well, posting a season best of 24.56. Both DeNise and Lopez notched times that rank among the top 100 in Division II this season in the prelims.

Alyssa Tenney also snagged a top-15 finish for the Pioneers, placing 12th in the 200 IM final. Tenney took three seconds off her season best in the final, touching the wall in 2:10.32, and joining Fresno Pacific's Kendall Swanson as the only two Division II swimmers to finish in the top 15 in the final. Tenney's time was also among the top 100 times in Division II this season.

Rachel Knowles joined Tenney as a finalist in the 200 IM, taking first in the C Final to finish 17th overall. Knowles took eight seconds off her season best with her time of 2:10.28, while teammate Bethany Hoopman finished fourth in the C Final to place 20th overall and took nine seconds off her previous best this season.

Rachel Shimizu rounded out the individual finalists for the Pioneers, finishing fourth in the C Final and 20th overall with her season best time of 5:12.55.

Though they did not reach the finals, several other East Bay swimmers found success in the prelims. Makila Schuck and Courtney Schwiesow both posted season bests in the 200 IM during prelims, while Jasmine Stowers, Kameron Isaacs, Karly Wasung and Alyssa Littlefield all notched their best times of the season in the 50 free during the morning session.

The Pioneer 400 medley relay team of Tenney, Schwiesow, DeNise and Lopez posted a time of 3:57.47 to finish ninth, while Hoopman, Schuck, Knowles and Wasung placed 11th with their time of 4:00.23. The team of Littlefield, Stowers, Isaacs and Hannah Cutts placed 23rd in the 400 medley relay.

In the 200 free, DeNise, Tenney, Wasung and Lopez placed eighth in a time of 1:37.73, just four seconds back of first-place New Mexico and less than two seconds out of the top five. The team of Isaacs, Littlefield, Stowers and Hoopman finished 13th in a time of 1:41.27.

The UNLV Winter Invitational continues with day two of three on Sunday at Buchanan Natatorium. Sunday's events include prelims and finals for the 400 IM, 100 fly, 200 free, 100 breast and 100 back, as well as the final for the 200 medley relay and 800 free relay. Live results are available here.