Pirate Swimmers and Divers Open 2026 Campaign

The VC men's and women's swimming and diving teams opened their 2026 schedule Saturday hosting the Larry Baratte Invitational at the Ventura Aquatic Center. Gold medal performances from Jaiden Monroe and Thomas Shea led the Pirate men to a second place finish while Alex Williams earned a bronze to help the Ventura women to finish fourth place as a team.

The meet featured all the Western State Conference teams competing in the event named for the late Hall of Fame Ventura College swimming and diving coach.

Monroe picked up where he left off a year ago, claiming first place in multiple events. He won the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 51.55 and a winning margin of over two seconds before claiming gold in the 100-yard backstroke,touching in 52.23. He also topped the podium in the 100-yard individual medley in 55.79.

Shea produced a pair of wins for the Pirates, winning the 1m diving with a score of 157.25 before finishing first in the 3m diving event with a score of 174.45.

Ventura's 200-yard freestyle relay team of Parker Steen, Jacob Otsuki, Shea and Monroe touched in second place and the 200-yard medley relay quartet of Shane Speth, Michael Ramirez, Monroe and Shea claimed bronze.

Other highlights for the men's team included Jacob Otsuki finishing fourth in the 100-yard freestyle and Ramirez claiming seventh in the 100-yard backstroke and the 100-yard breaststroke. Speth came in seventh in the 100-yard IM while Shea and Steen finished seventh and 12th, respectively, in the 50-yard freestyle.

Williams picked up the bronze medal in the 3m diving competition and Kayla Foster won fifth in both the 3m and 1m diving events. Williams finished seventh in the 1m event.

Stevie Sturges placed sixth in the 100-yard breaststroke and Avery Monson was eighth in the 50-yard freestyle.