Far From Home, Bonnies Swim & Dive Athletes Record Historical Seasons

For many attending a university far from home, the adjustment to college life can be difficult. But for Bonnies’ diver Dhavgely Mendoza and swimmer Anna Bojana Forjan, hailing thousands of miles away from Western New York, the long trek was necessary to achieve their goals.

At February’s Atlantic 10 Swimming and Diving Championships, Mendoza and Forjan recorded some of the best individual performances in program history.

Mendoza, a sophomore from Barquisimeto, Venezuela, secured gold in both the 1-meter and 3-meter dive en route to being named the Atlantic 10’s Women’s Diver of the Year.

Forjan, a junior from Mezotur, Hungary, won gold medals in both the 200-free and 100-back, as well as a silver in the 200-back. Those victories were the first medals of her collegiate career.

Forjan now owns the program records for the 200-free, 100-back and 200-back while sharing the top Bonnies marks in the 400-free relay and 800-free relay.

“Honestly, before A-10s, the only thing I told everyone [was] I just want one medal,” Forjan said. “I didn’t even care about the colors. I’d be really happy with a bronze, and then, something just happened, and I was really surprised to achieve my goal back-to-back. I couldn’t believe my eyes.”

Though Forjan shocked even herself with her three-medal performance, the most by a Bonnies women’s swimmer at the A-10 Championships since 2018, her and Mendoza’s success was a result of tireless dedication.

Along with her success at A-10s, Mendoza went on to post the highest finish for a Bonnies women’s diver in nearly two decades with a 15th-place effort in the 1-meter event at NCAA Diving Zone A Championships in March.

Mendoza says she has adapted to the distance from home comfortably in her second season competing for the Bonnies. But that doesn’t mean it is always easy.

“Sometimes, at least for me, I notice people complain that they haven’t seen their family in two months. I haven’t in a year and a half,” Mendoza said. “I’ll be back home for a month and then not be back for another two years.”

Mendoza credits her experience at St. Bonaventure in part to working with to Bonnies diving coach Alejandra Fuentes.

Fuentes, a fellow Venezuelan, competed for her home nation in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia. Along with Mendoza being named the conference’s best female diver this season, Fuentes received the 2026 Atlantic 10 Women’s Diving Coach of the Year award.

“I came to Bona’s mostly for my coach,” Mendoza said. “I was almost about to give up on diving, but I talked to my first coach, who told me it’s because I needed a change in my environment. My coach texted her and she made an offer.”

With time, Mendoza saw a piece of home in her coach.

“We work really well together,” she said. “I speak so much English over here that it’s nice to have a little break to speak my own language. Plus, she always knows how to push me to be better.”

But the language barrier was not specific to just Mendoza. Forjan also detailed how she found a home by speaking more English.

“I traveled from Europe to here,” Forjan said. “I’ve overcome my biggest insecurity, speaking English to people.”

Forjan and Mendoza still are far from done after their career-best seasons. ‘

“I want to bring the old Bonaventure women’s team back, and I’m doing everything I can,” Forjan said.

Mendoza, meanwhile, looks to make a push to qualify for the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships.

“Me and my coach always want more,” she said. “More things are coming in the next two years. If I improved from silver to gold, it’s going to be gold to nationals next year.”