CLEVELAND, Miss. — The Delta State University men's swim and dive program took full control of the team standings on Night 1 of the Thanksgiving Invite, amassing 228 points to sit comfortably in first place after Thursday's timed finals at the Ronald G. Mayers Aquatics Center.

The night began with fireworks courtesy of Mateus Franco, who crushed the 1000 Freestyle with a blistering 9:14.12, nearly 45 seconds ahead of his seed time and securing DSU's first individual win of the meet. Adam Rickert backed him up with a runner-up finish in 9:30.28, giving the Statesmen a 1–2 punch that immediately set the tone.

DSU kept rolling in the 200 Medley Relay, where the A-relay of Franco, Hamblen, Mochnal, and Baylin delivered a commanding 1:28.25 to take the event title. The B-relay contributed crucial points with a top-four finish, showcasing the depth and versatility of the roster.

On the boards, the Statesmen swept the podium in Men's 1-Meter Diving, with Santiago Santodomingo (494.10), Ryan Whaley (448.58), Jake Bigler (438.00), and Bryon Croom (432.38) locking down places 1–4 and giving DSU a dominant session on the boards.

The night closed with another marquee win as the 800 Freestyle Relay team of Franco, Rickert, Mochnal, and Huffhines blasted a 6:38.19, securing DSU's second relay victory of the night and widening the Statesmen's overall lead.

Delta State heads into Friday's competition with momentum on its side and a commanding position in the team standings. The preliminary session begins at 10:00 a.m. (CT) at the Ronald G. Mayers Aquatics Center