Swim and Dive Adds Seven New Bears to 2026-27 Roster
November 12, 2025 | Swimming and Diving
SPRINGFIELD – The Missouri State swimming and diving team has welcomed seven new additions to the 2026-27 roster, head coach Dave Collins announced Wednesday.
The newest additions to the men's team are:
- Reece Pangburn • 6-4 • Fr. • Tulsa, Ok. • Jenks High School
- Elias Mendez • Backstroke /IM • 6-0 • Fr. • Stillwater, Ok. • Stillwater High School
- Ethan Nguyen • Breaststroke/IM • 5-9 • Fr. • Fayetteville, Ar. • Fayetteville High School
The newest additions to the women's team are:
- Macie Kunz • Freestyle/Butterfly • 5-5 • Fr. • Trenton, Il. • Wesclin High School
- Brylie Ray • Breaststroke/IM • 5-10 • Fr. • Rockwall, Tx. • Rockwall High School
- Laurel Hunter • Dive • 5-5 • Fr. • Madison, Al. • James Clemens High School
- Lauren Konarske • Breaststroke/IM • 5-7 • Fr. • Verona, Wi. • Verona Area High School
Collins expressed his excitement in welcoming these future Bears.
"Our staff is very excited with the group we have signing with us today. A lot of time and effort went into identifying talented and motivated student-athletes that we feel can come in and continue a tradition of success in the pool and the classroom. This class has the ability to make an immediate impact as soon as they get to campus."
Reece Pangburn
Pangburn swims for his high school swimming team, at Jenks High School under the tutelage of coach Mitch Wagner and also swims for Seahawks Swim Club. As a sophomore he won the state competition with his team and broke the 200-yard individual medley relay record. As a junior with his team, he broke the 100-yard breaststroke record and tied in the 100-yard butterfly record. He is currently competing in his senior year of high school.
Elias Mendez
Mendez swims for his high school swimming team at Stillwater High School under the tutelage of coach Angela Knott and also swims for King Marlin swim club. As a freshman his team placed 10th in the medley relay at state and seventh in the 400-yard freestyle relay at state, individually he placed seventh at state in the 200-yard individual medley and sixth at state in the 100-yard backstroke which earned him all-city second team. As a sophomore his team placed seventh at state, and fourth in medley and sixth in the 400-yard freestyle relay at state, individually he placed fifth at state in the 200-yard individual medley and third in the 100-yard backstroke at state. As a junior his team finished fourth overall at state, individually he was the state champion in the 200-yard individual medley, runner up in the 100-yard backstroke, school record holder in the 200-yard individual medley, 100-yard butterfly, and 100-yard backstroke and qualified for summer junior nationals, for which he earned all-city first team in the 200-yard individual medley (The Oklahoman), USA swimming scholastic All American, All World First Team (Tulsa World) for 100-yard backstroke, and the Oklahoma - USA Today Metro sports award swimmer of the year nominee 2025. He is currently competing in his senior year of high school.
Ethan Nguyen
Nguyen swims for his high school swimming team at Fayetteville High School under the tutelage of coach Dylan Duncan and also swims for Northwest Arkansas Aquatics Sharks. As a freshman his team broke the 400-yard freestyle relay team record, individually he broke the 100-yard breaststroke and 200-yard freestyle team records, he also placed second in the 100-yard breaststroke at conference and third in the 200-yard individual medley at conference. As a sophomore his team broke the 400-yard freestyle relay, 200-yard medley and 200-yard freestyle team records, individually he broke the 100-yard breaststroke, 200-yard freestyle and the 200-yard individual medley team records, he was also recognized as a Top 10 in the state by Arkansas All Preps, he won the 100-yard breaststroke, and was second in the 200-yard individual medley at conference, and won the 100-yard breaststroke and was third in the 200-yard individual medley at state. As a junior his team was second overall at conference and third overall at state, and broke the 400-yard freestyle relay and 200-yard medley team records, individually he broke the 100-yard breaststroke, and the 200-yard individual medley team records and was recognized as a Top 10 in the state by Arkansas All Preps, he also won the 100-yard breaststroke and was second in the 200-yard individual medley at state and was second in the 200-yard individual medley at conference. He is currently competing in his senior year of high school.
Macie Kunz
Kunz is on her high school swimming team at Wesclin High School and also swims for Seahawks Swim Club. In her freshman year her team was a state qualifier in the 100-yard butterfly, individually she qualified for the Speedo Sectionals for the first time. In her sophomore year her team placed second in the 50-yard freestyle at sectionals and placed second in the 100-yard butterfly at sectionals, individually she achieved a Futures Cut in the 100-yard freestyle for the first time. As a junior her team placed second in the 200-yard individual medley at sectionals and earned the state qualifying time and placed second in the 100-yard freestyle at sectionals and earned the state qualifying time, individually she qualified for state in the 200-yard individual medley and the 100-yard freestyle. She is currently competing in her senior year of high school.
Brylie Ray
Ray is on her high school swimming team, at Rockwall High School and also swims for Rockwall Aquatic Center of Excellence. As a freshman her team qualified for state in the 200-yard freestyle relay and 200-yard medley relay, individually she earned the TISCA second team All-State, Academic All-American, and was a state qualifier in the 200-yard freestyle relay and 200-yard medley relay. As a sophomore, her team qualified for state in the 40-yard freestyle relay, 200-yard medley relay, and 100-yard breaststroke, individually she earned TISCA All-State team and Academic All-American and was a state qualifier in the 400-yard freestyle relay, 200-yard medley relay, and 100-yard breaststroke. As a junior her team qualified for state in the 400-yard freestyle relay, 200-yard medley relay, 100-yard breaststroke, and 200-yard individual medley, individually she earned the TISCA All-State team, Scholastic All-American and was an All-American finalist, was a state qualifier in the 400-yard freestyle relay, 200-yard medley relay, and the 100-yard breaststroke. She is currently competing in her senior year of high school.
Laurel Hunter
Hunter is on her high school swimming and diving team, at James Clemens High School and also dives for Huntsville Dive Association. As a freshman her team finished in 13th place at state, individually she was a state finalist finishing in 12th place along with a fifth-place school record holder for the 1-meter dive competitions and sixth place for the 3-meter competition from which she received a high school varsity letter. As a sophomore her team finished in fourth place at state, individually she was a state finalist finishing in fifth place and qualified for State Games of America in the 1-meter and 3-meter dive competitions along with being the second-place school record holder for the 1-meter and 3-meter dive competitions. As a junior her team finished fifth in the state. Individually she qualified for State Games of America, the AAU nationals and USA Zones on the 1-meter and 3-meter dive competitions along with being the high school 1-meter dive record holder and the 3-meter dive second place record holder from which she received a high school varsity letter. She is currently competing in her senior year of high school.
Lauren Konarske
Konarske is on her high school swimming team, at Verona Area High School and also swims for Mcfarland Swim Club. As a freshman her team finished in fifth place at state and second place at the Spartan Invite, individually she finished in eighth place in the 100-yard breaststroke at state. As a sophomore her team finished second in state won the Spartan Invite, individually she won the 300-yard breaststroke relay at Cardinal Relays, eighth place at state in the 100-yard breaststroke, third place in the 100-yard breaststroke at the Spartan Invite, second place in the 100-yard breaststroke at conference, fifth place in the individual medley at conference, fifth in the individual medley and second place in the 100-yard breaststroke at sectionals. In her junior year her team finished second at state, the Spartan Invite and at sectionals, individually she won the 100-yard breaststroke at conference, was third at state in the 100-yard breaststroke, was second in the 100-yard breaststroke at the Spartan Invite, was fifth in the 100-yard butterfly and third in the 100-yard breaststroke at the Blackshirt Invite, won the 300-yard breaststroke relay at the Cardinal, was second in the 100-yard breaststroke at sectionals, fourth in the individual medley at conference, fifth place in the individual medley at sectionals and achieved the All- State in 100-yard breaststroke. As a senior her team won the Bulldog Invite, individually she was second in the 100-yard breaststroke, second in the individual medley and second in the 100-yard breaststroke at the Spartan Invite, and fifth in the individual medley at the Spartan Invite, second in the individual medley at conference and second in 100-yard breaststroke at conference.
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