GREENSBORO, N.C. – The 18th-ranked Trinity women's swimming & diving team is 10th after the first day of action at the 2024 NCAA Championships on Wednesday.
The Tigers had five of its six qualified women's swimmers competing today and all five were All-Americans by the end of the day.
Neely Burns (Phoenix, Ariz. / Thunderbird) finished fifth in this morning's 200 individual medley with a time of 2:03.11 to qualify for the finals, while
Amy Benson (Newmarket, N.H. / Phillips Exeter Academy) was 10th in the 50 free prelims in 23.27 seconds to qualify for the consolation finals. She was just 0.09 seconds from making the top eight and the championship final.
Audrey Jacobson (Dallas, Texas / School for the Talent and Gifted),
Kyla Foxhoven (Austin, Texas / Westlake), and
Caroline Myers (Austin, Texas / Bowie) all joined Benson for the 200 medley relay and the quartet also qualified for the consolation finals by finishing 13th with a time of 1:44.00 this morning.
In the evening session, Burns earned her second straight All-America honors in the 200 IM by finishing sixth with a time of 2:02.20. That marks the best-ever finish by a Trinity swimmer in that event, eclipsing the record she tied just last year. This is also the fourth time she has earned All-America accolades as an individual, though she also picked up similar honors as part of the 800 free relay team last season.
No Trinity women's relay team had ever finished in the top 20 prior to this season, so these four determined Tigers made history by finishing 13th in tonight's finals. Not only did the relay team finish higher than any other Trinity team ever in the 200 medley relay, but the quartet also broke the school record with a time of 1:43.50. This is the second time Jacobson has earned All-American status as part of a relay, having also been on last year's 800 free relay with Burns. Myers also is an All-American for the second time after finishing 14th as part of the 400 free relay at the 2022 NCAA Championships. Foxhoven and Benson are both first-time All-Americans as part of relay events, though Benson also garnered the award for her performance in the 50 free. Benson finished 11th in the 50 free consolations on Wednesday night, turning in a career-best time of 23.27 seconds, and earning Second Team All-America honors in the process.
Coach Speak
"The women had a phenomenal start to the meet," revealed Head Coach
Cathleen Pruden. "Amy was the queen of consistency in the 50 free, capping off her day with a lifetime best! Kyla was also just off her best this morning to get the meet off to a strong start. We're proud of Neely for moving up a spot from last year and posting the highest ever program finish in the 200 IM! The 200 medley relay also put together a program best finish and school record in the event. Everybody got their job done and was even better at night! Tomorrow is a huge day and we are ready to shine after getting these swims going."
Up Next
All six Trinity swimmers will compete on Thursday. The morning prelims begin at 10:00 a.m. (ET), with the finals scheduled for a 6:00 p.m. start. The 200 free relay will begin the day's events with Myers, Foxhoven, and Benson welcoming senior
Emma Hagan (Overland Park, Kan. / Olathe East) for her first event at this year's competition. Burns will follow with her only event of the day, the 400 IM that saw her finish second nationally last year. Myers and Hagan will both then compete in the 100 butterfly. The final event of the session will be the 400 medley relay that has Jacobson, Foxhoven, Hagan, and Benson competing for a spot in the evening session.
