(Leavenworth, Kansas) – The University of Saint Mary men's swimming & diving team has been named the 2025-26 KCAC Men's Team of Character, the conference office announced Friday. All KCAC Champions of Character Awards are presented by IMA Financial Group.

"I'm incredibly proud of our men's team for earning the 2025-26 KCAC Men's Team of Character award," David Bresser, head coach of the Saint Mary men's and women's swimming & diving teams, stated. "Competing at a high level is important to our program, but just as important is the way we prepare, support one another, and represent the University of Saint Mary every day. This honor truly reflects the commitment our student-athletes have made to lead with integrity, serve others, and consistently put the team first. Our swimmers bring that same mindset to every practice, every meet, and every opportunity to compete. This award is a testament to the culture we've built together here at USM and to what it means to be a Spire. They truly earned it."

In February, the Spires were named the Team of Character for the sport of Men's Swimming. The Spires had five student-athletes earn the KCAC Scholar-Athlete distinction, and had one swimmer named to the KCAC All-Conference First Team.

In 2025-26, the Spires accumulated nearly 200 community service hours, with service projects including, but not limited to:

  • Operation Christmas Child
  • Feed the Need, a program designed to assist those in need in the Leavenworth/Lansing area.
  • Volunteering at local high school swim meets.
  • Making gift bags for correctional facilities in the area.
  • Making gift bags for women's clinics in the area.


Members of the USM men's swim team also served in leadership roles on campus, including being residential hall assistants (RAs), being on the Honors executive council, being a part of the campus STEM Club, being involved in the Student Government Association, and being involved in peer tutoring.
 

The team enjoyed success at the conference championship, finishing in seventh place as a team, highlighted by the following individuals:

  • Ian Lucas - Top Four Finishes in the 50 Meter Freestyle, the 100 Meter Freestyle, and the 100 Meter Fly
  • Ian Hein - Top Ten Finishes in the 100 Meter Breaststroke, the 400 Meter Freestyle Relay, the 800 Meter Freestyle Relay, and the 400 Meter Medley Relay
  • Brandon Kendall - Top 10 Finishes in the 200 Meter Fly, the 800 Meter Freestyle Relay, the 200 Meter Medley Relay, and the 400 Meter Medley Relay.


"The University of Saint Mary is incredibly proud of our men's swim team for being named the 2025-26 KCAC Men's Team of Character," Rob Miller, Vice President of Athletics at Saint Mary, said. "This honor reflects so much more than success in the pool, it recognizes the integrity, leadership, sportsmanship, and commitment our Spire student-athletes demonstrate every day. Congratulations to Coach Bresser and his team on this well-deserved achievement. We are grateful for the way they represent the University of Saint Mary and the KCAC with excellence both in and out of the pool."

The University of Saint Mary is a Catholic co-educational applied liberal arts university founded and sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth. The University of Saint Mary main campus is located at 4100 South 4th Street, Leavenworth, Kan. USM-Johnson County, at 11221 Roe Ave., offers evening accelerated graduate and undergraduate degree-completion programs. The university also offers online programs. Visit stmary.edu for more information.