Photo by: Bailee Wagner/Texas A&M Athletics
Anderson Announces Additions to 2026-27 Roster
May 04, 2026 | Swimming and Diving
COLLEGE STATION – Texas A&M Director of Swimming & Diving Blaire Anderson announced the addition of six student-athletes to the Aggies' 2026-27 roster.
Joining the Aggies next season are swimmers Daniel Eichel, Mason Francis, Carter Lancaster, and Mason Leach, and divers Sydney Guidara and Vladyslav Klimko.
Eichel, from Haifa, Israel, transferred to Texas A&M after two strong seasons at Minnesota, where he earned a spot in the top five of the Gophers' record book for the 200 free (No. 2), 500 free (No. 4) and 200 butterfly (No. 5). Eichel advanced to the finals of the 200 and 500 free and 200 fly at the 2026 Big Ten Championships and swam the leadoff leg on the Gophers' sixth-place 800 free relay. As a freshman in 2025, he competed at the NCAA Championships as a member of Minnesota's 800 free relay. Eichel has career-best times of 1:34.00 in the 200 free, 4:14.33 in the 500 free and 1:43.72 in the 200 fly.
Francis, from Vincent, Ohio, comes to Aggieland after spending his freshman season at Ohio State. Francis was the Buckeyes' No. 2 entry in the 100 breaststroke with a season best of 52.28, which was an NCAA qualifying cut. He also ranked in the top 10 on the squad in the 50 and 100 freestyle and 100 fly. He posted a victories in the 100 breast and 100 IM at the CSCAA National Invitational and swam legs on the Buckeyes' 200/400 free relays and 200/400 medley relays. Francis has career-best times of 52.28 in the 100 breast, 47.64 in the 100 backstroke, 19.74 in the 50 free and 43.55 in the 100 free.
Guidara, from Reno, Nevada, was a three-time All-American Athletic Conference (AAC) selection and Zone D Diving qualifier at North Texas from 2023-26. Last season, Guidara earned AAC silver on the 1m and bronze on the 3m, while finishing 28th in the 1m (251.75) and 36th in the 3m (255.80) at Zones in College Station. In three seasons at UNT, Guidara earned top-eight finishes at the AAC Championships eight times in nine chances, including four individual medals. She set the UNT record in the platform dive (258.98) and ranks second in the 1m (320.55) and 3m (350.78).
Klimko represented Ukraine at three junior European championships, a junior World Cup and a junior Grand Prix. The native of from Kharkiv, Ukraine, earned the silver medal in the 10m platform synchronized and placed fourth in the mixed 3m synchro at the 2021 FINA Diving Grand Prix. He logged a lifetime best of 447.55 in the prelims of the platform dive at the European Junior Diving Championships in 2023 before going on to a 10th-place finish in the final with a score of 418.80.
Lancaster, from Carmel, Indiana, transferred to Texas A&M after two seasons at Cal-Berkeley. Rated the No. 7 overall recruit in the Class of 2024, Lancaster has lifetime bests of 53.81 in the 100 breast, 1:55.77 in the 200 breast and 1:45.01 in the 200 IM. He competed in the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in the 200 IM with a time of 2:02.04 (LCM). Competing for The Bolles School in Jacksonville, Florida, Lancaster was the 2024 All-News4JAX Boys Swimmer of the Year after helping the Sharks to their 36th straight Florida state high school team title while defending his state championship in the 200 IM.
Leach, from Hillsboro, Oregon, arrives in Aggieland after two seasons at Pitt. He competed in the 100/200 backstrokes and the 100 fly at the ACC Championships in 2025 and 2026. At the 2026 ACC Championships, Leach swam the backstroke leg on the Panthers' fourth-place 200 medley relay (21.27 leadoff) and eighth-place 400 medley relay (46.23 leadoff), and posted an 18th-place finish in the 100 backstroke (46.08). The former Oregon state champion (100 back) has achieved lifetime bests of 46.08 in the 100 back, 1:44.16 in the 200 backstroke and 47.13 in the 100 fly.
Joining the Aggies next season are swimmers Daniel Eichel, Mason Francis, Carter Lancaster, and Mason Leach, and divers Sydney Guidara and Vladyslav Klimko.
| Swimmer/Diver | Event | Hometown / High School / Previous School |
| Daniel Eichel | Free | Haifa, Israel / Hof Hasharon HS / Minnesota |
| Mason Francis | Breast / Free | Vincent, Ohio / Warren HS / Ohio State |
| Sydney Guidara | Diving | Reno, Nev. / Sparks HS / North Texas |
| Vladyslav Klimko | Diving | Kharkiv, Ukraine |
| Carter Lancaster | IM / Breast | Carmel, Ind. / The Bolles School (Fla.) / California |
| Mason Leach | Back / Fly | Hillsboro, Ore. / Glencoe HS / Pittsburgh |
Eichel, from Haifa, Israel, transferred to Texas A&M after two strong seasons at Minnesota, where he earned a spot in the top five of the Gophers' record book for the 200 free (No. 2), 500 free (No. 4) and 200 butterfly (No. 5). Eichel advanced to the finals of the 200 and 500 free and 200 fly at the 2026 Big Ten Championships and swam the leadoff leg on the Gophers' sixth-place 800 free relay. As a freshman in 2025, he competed at the NCAA Championships as a member of Minnesota's 800 free relay. Eichel has career-best times of 1:34.00 in the 200 free, 4:14.33 in the 500 free and 1:43.72 in the 200 fly.
Francis, from Vincent, Ohio, comes to Aggieland after spending his freshman season at Ohio State. Francis was the Buckeyes' No. 2 entry in the 100 breaststroke with a season best of 52.28, which was an NCAA qualifying cut. He also ranked in the top 10 on the squad in the 50 and 100 freestyle and 100 fly. He posted a victories in the 100 breast and 100 IM at the CSCAA National Invitational and swam legs on the Buckeyes' 200/400 free relays and 200/400 medley relays. Francis has career-best times of 52.28 in the 100 breast, 47.64 in the 100 backstroke, 19.74 in the 50 free and 43.55 in the 100 free.
Guidara, from Reno, Nevada, was a three-time All-American Athletic Conference (AAC) selection and Zone D Diving qualifier at North Texas from 2023-26. Last season, Guidara earned AAC silver on the 1m and bronze on the 3m, while finishing 28th in the 1m (251.75) and 36th in the 3m (255.80) at Zones in College Station. In three seasons at UNT, Guidara earned top-eight finishes at the AAC Championships eight times in nine chances, including four individual medals. She set the UNT record in the platform dive (258.98) and ranks second in the 1m (320.55) and 3m (350.78).
Klimko represented Ukraine at three junior European championships, a junior World Cup and a junior Grand Prix. The native of from Kharkiv, Ukraine, earned the silver medal in the 10m platform synchronized and placed fourth in the mixed 3m synchro at the 2021 FINA Diving Grand Prix. He logged a lifetime best of 447.55 in the prelims of the platform dive at the European Junior Diving Championships in 2023 before going on to a 10th-place finish in the final with a score of 418.80.
Lancaster, from Carmel, Indiana, transferred to Texas A&M after two seasons at Cal-Berkeley. Rated the No. 7 overall recruit in the Class of 2024, Lancaster has lifetime bests of 53.81 in the 100 breast, 1:55.77 in the 200 breast and 1:45.01 in the 200 IM. He competed in the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in the 200 IM with a time of 2:02.04 (LCM). Competing for The Bolles School in Jacksonville, Florida, Lancaster was the 2024 All-News4JAX Boys Swimmer of the Year after helping the Sharks to their 36th straight Florida state high school team title while defending his state championship in the 200 IM.
Leach, from Hillsboro, Oregon, arrives in Aggieland after two seasons at Pitt. He competed in the 100/200 backstrokes and the 100 fly at the ACC Championships in 2025 and 2026. At the 2026 ACC Championships, Leach swam the backstroke leg on the Panthers' fourth-place 200 medley relay (21.27 leadoff) and eighth-place 400 medley relay (46.23 leadoff), and posted an 18th-place finish in the 100 backstroke (46.08). The former Oregon state champion (100 back) has achieved lifetime bests of 46.08 in the 100 back, 1:44.16 in the 200 backstroke and 47.13 in the 100 fly.
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