IOWA CITY, Iowa – The No. 23 UCLA swimming and diving team earned wins over Iowa and Purdue to open the 2026-27 season on Friday evening. The Bruins beat Iowa 180-120, and Purdue 162.5-137.5.

To open the meet, the UCLA 200 medley relay squad of Claudia Yovanovich, Sarah Bennetts, Jada Duncan, and Anna Wetteland combined to touch the wall in 1:39.98 ahead of Iowa’s A team in 1:41.37 and Purdue’s ‘A’ team in 1:41.86.

Freshman Mia Bugarin placed second in her collegiate debut in the 1000 free, as she touched the wall in 1:15.94, while Alex Fox, another Bruin freshman, took fourth overall in the evening in 10:21.27.

Wetteland earned UCLA’s first individual event win in the 200 free. The sophomore took the win in 1:50.85, while freshman Sora Koike earned a third-place finish in 1:51.29.

As for the 100 back, Yovanovich earned her first event win of the 2026-27 season, finishing in 55.08. Freshman Olivia Sina added valuable points for the Bruins, finishing in fourth place in the discipline in 56.25.

Sarah Bennetts opened her senior campaign with a second-place showing in the 100 breast, touching the wall in 1:01.97.

In the 50 free Jada Duncan claimed second place in 23.26, while freshman Fiona Bell finished in fourth place in 23.46.

On the diving boards, senior Molly Brascia qualified for zones in the first meet of the year. Brascia scored 289.30 on the 3-meter, and 277.50 on 1-meter, and finished third overall in both events on Friday.

Koike earned another third-place finish in the 100 free, touching the wall in 51.10. Freshman Olivia Sinn then followed Koike’s performance with a first-place showing in the 200 back, finishing in 2:00.91.

Bennetts made it back-to-back wins in the pool for the Bruins with a win in the 200 breast. The senior finished in 2:13.59.

Bugarin followed her 1000 free second-place performance with a win in the 500 free, touching the wall in 4:55.78.

Duncan continued her solid meet with another win for the Bruins in the 100 fly. The sophomore earned the win in 54.17.

The Bruins wrapped up the meet with a win in the 400 medley relay. Duncan, Bennetts, Wetteland, and Alexis Schaffer combined to finish in 3:22.14.

Up Next: UCLA returns to action Nov. 6 and 7 across town at USC, where the Bruins will compete in a quad meet against USC, Arizona and Arizona State.