OKLAHOMA CITY (Sept. 23, 2021) – First, Oklahoma Christian was the new kid on the block in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and NCAA Division II men's swimming. Then, as the program developed during its early years, the Eagles moved into the middle of the pack in the RMAC.

Now entering its fifth season, OC coach Josh Davis said the Eagles' goals now are higher – to be more competitive in the RMAC meet than in previous years and to send swimmers to the NCAA Division II Championships for the first time. He's quietly confident on both fronts as the Eagles open their season Friday, hosting the Sam Freas Invitational at the Mitch Park YMCA pool in Edmond.

There's no doubt that Colorado Mesa and Colorado School of Mines remain the powers that be in the RMAC, which conveniently gives OC a level of competition to which it can aspire, Davis said.

"We like being able to push our friends at Mines and Mesa, as they push us," Davis said. "We're honored to be in that conference."

Leading the way into the season for the Eagles will be one of the RMAC's top freestyle sprinters, Brandon Heredia, and a former RMAC breaststroke champion, Zac Hawes.

Heredia was an alternate selection for last year's national meet but didn't make the field in the 200-yard freestyle. The junior took the summer off to allow his body to rest and is geared up to take care of "unfinished business," Davis said. Heredia, the 2019 RMAC 100 freestyle champ, last season swam NCAA B qualifying times in the 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle in addition to the 200.

"Brandon is 100 percent healthy, but still rebuilding to 100 percent fitness," Davis said. "He turned it on at the intrasquad meet and swam beautifully. He is in a very good place and getting back to form rapidly. It would be amazing to win conference in some of his events … and to finally go to the NCAAs would be perfect."

Hawes, a fifth-year senior from Houston, won the RMAC title in the 200 breaststroke in 2020 before being denied the opportunity to defend that title last year due to COVID-19 protocols. But he'll have to fend off challenges from three promising freshmen breaststrokers on the OC squad – Jason Seitz, Lorenzo Tabladini and J.T. Amrein.

"Zac is trusting that his hard work will pay off," Davis said. "These freshmen are young and energetic and hungry. They want to break his records and he wants to keep them. It makes them all better."

Other breaststrokers for the Eagles include returning freshman Austin Byrd, junior Sam Carter and sophomore Garrett White.

Sophomore Elijah Tung, who earned All-RMAC second-team honors last season in the 100 butterfly, leads OC's group in that stroke. That unit also has plenty of veteran experience in junior Andrew Harris, sophomore Evan Heidenreich and junior Jackson Kaye, along with versatile freshman Chase Fields.

Another fifth-year senior, six-time All-RMAC swimmer Noah Woollweever, tops the OC backstroke unit as he shoots for an elusive league title in one of those two events. Sophomore Reese McIlroy has taken giant strides forward during the preseason in the backstroke, Davis said, with newcomers Quinn Mauck and Nathaniel Whitehead also should figure into the mix, making it one the Eagles' top groups.

Heredia, sophomore Jacob Nixon and freshmen Caleb Musser, Amrein and Derek Montgomery give OC a solid core of freestyle sprinters. In the distance ranks, junior Andrew Ehler is the Eagles' top returnee – holding school records in the 1,000 freestyle and 1,650 freestyle – with seniors Daniel Rutledge and Micah Young looking to round back into form. Fields also is available for duty, particularly in the 500 and 1,650 freestyle – along with freshman Sam Foster and sophomore Carl Jackson.

Other freestyle swimmers on the OC squad include returning freshman August Davison and new freshmen Felix Berling, Justin Gilliam, Kyle Jardenil and Jacob Rivera.

Senior Brandon Hundley is one of OC's best in the individual medley races and Amrein also should contribute in that area.

The Eagles' schedule includes three home meets at the Mitch Park YMCA pool in Edmond, along with meets against fellow Division II programs Henderson State (Ark.), Ouachita Baptist (Ark.), William Jewell (Mo.) and powerful Drury (Mo.). The Eagles also will compete in a tri-meet at Division I Southern Methodist in Dallas and another dual at Incarnate Word in San Antonio.

For a third straight year, the RMAC Championships will be held in Grand Junction, Colo., and hosted by Colorado Mesa.