SAN ANTONIO – The newly ranked #21 Trinity women's swimming & diving team faced Division I Incarnate Word in a Senior Day meet that honored the Class of 2026. Despite the challenge of Division I competition, the Tigers showed resilience and depth throughout the meet, but ultimately came up short with a final score of 168-126.

The meet began with diving before the swimmers took the pool at Hixon Natatorium for the final time this season, setting an emotional tone for the day. For both 1M and 3M boards first-year Juliet Hood (Wexford, Pa. / North Allegheny) took first place, sophomore Charlotte Brod (St. Louis, Mo. / Parkwa;y North) took second and first-year Andie Torres took fourth. 

In the 200 medley relay, the Tigers' 'B' relay of seniors Lindsay McKinney (Victoria, Texas / Saint Joseph) and Jules Wiehrdt (Waco, Texas / Midway), first-year Sophia Mandanis (Wichita, Kan. / Andover), and sophomore Sienna Nordquist (Albuquerque, N.M. / Hope Christian) opened the meet with a third-place finish. Shortly after, the 'A' relay of first-year Kaitlyn Phan (Austin, Texas / Westlake), sophomore Emme Penry (Greenwood Village, Colo. / Regis Jesuit), and juniors Allison Ortiz (Houston, Texas / Stratford) and Amy Benson (Newmarket, NH. / Phillips Exeter Academy) followed with a strong second-place showing.

Sophomore Diane Park (Beaverton, Ore. / Mountainside) delivered one of the most memorable swims of the meet in the 1,000 freestyle, touching the wall in a lifetime-best 10:55.71 to secure second place. Her performance brought the entire team to its feet and set the tone for the remainder of the afternoon.

Senior captain Neely Burns (Phoenix, Ariz. / Thunderbird) and senior Audrey Jacobson (Dallas, Texas / School for the Talent and Gifted) competed in the 200 freestyle, finishing in a tie for fifth. The event also saw a strong showing from junior Julia Carter (Dripping Springs, Texas Dripping Springs) in second place, along with sophomore Anna Stouffer (St. Louis, Mo. / Clayton) in seventh and Nordquist in eighth.

In the 100 breaststroke, seniors McKinney and Sid McCullough (Centennial, Colo. / Cherry Creek) turned in solid efforts, finishing third and fifth as the Tigers continued to build momentum.
The 100 backstroke marked a meaningful moment for seniors Wiehrdt and Renee Trombley (Fort Collins, Colo. / Fossil Ridge), who raced the event together for the final time at Hixon Natatorium, finishing fifth and sixth. Phan added another podium finish for the Tigers by taking third.

Mandanis continued to impress in the 200 butterfly, battling throughout the race to earn second place, while first-year Addie Domilise followed in fifth.

Benson led the Tigers in the 50 freestyle with a first-place finish, showcasing her speed in the sprint event. She was joined by Carter in fifth, Ortiz in sixth, and Nordquist in seventh.
Wiehrdt and Stouffer returned to the pool for the 100 freestyle, finishing fourth and fifth in another tightly contested race.

In the 200 backstroke, seniors Erica Peterson (Lantana, Texas / Guyer) and Jacobson posted fourth- and fifth-place finishes, while Phan added a second-place result to cap off a strong day.
The 200 breaststroke highlighted senior leadership once again, as Burns emerged victorious after a competitive race with a UIW swimmer. McKinney followed in third, with McCullough close behind in fourth.

Trombley took on the 500 freestyle, finishing fourth, while Penry earned a third-place finish in the event.

Ortiz claimed first place in the 100 butterfly after a hard-fought race, continuing the Tigers' strong presence in the sprint events. Mandanis placed fourth, with Domilise rounding out the field in seventh.
The final individual event of the meet, the 200 IM, featured seniors Burns, Peterson, and McCullough, who closed out their Senior Day individual swims with first-, fifth-, and eighth-place finishes. Park also competed in the event, finishing seventh.

The meet concluded with the 400 freestyle relay, providing a fitting finish to Senior Day. The 'A' relay of seniors Jacobson and Burns, along with Ortiz and Benson, finished second in a close race. The 'B' relay of Wiehrdt, Phan, Carter, and Penry followed closely behind, while the 'C' relay of Nordquist, Stouffer, Mandanis, and Park finished fifth. The all-senior 'D' relay of Peterson, McCullough, McKinney, and Trombley capped off the meet with a sixth-place finish.

Coach Speak
"Despite being down a few athletes, the women had a good day today," said Head Coach Cathleen Pruden. "I'm proud of the Tigers for taking advantage of an opportunity to race and giving it their all one more time. Congrats to our seniors on a great four-year career in Hixon! We'll focus on getting healthy and ready to take on our first SAA champs in two and a half weeks!"

Looking Forward
The Tigers will travel to Danville, Kentucky, to compete at Centre College in their final meet of the season, the Southern Athletic Association Conference Championships, from February 11–14.