DANVILLE, Ky. – The 24th-ranked Trinity University women's swimming & diving team started the Colonel Classic strong with a Session 1 on Friday night. They are competing against six other teams in an invitational, and the women brought the heat. This meet is designed to mimic the Southern Athletic Association lineup in order to gain familiarity with the pool before the conference championships event next month. Trinity scored 352 points in Friday night's opening session, taking a big lead over weekend hosts Centre College with 288 points. 

The evening opened with the 200 freestyle relay, where the Tigers' 'A' relay took first place, consisting of first-year Ava Easley (Allen, Texas / Lovejoy) and juniors Allison Ortiz (Houston, Texas / Stratford), Amy Benson (Newmarket, N.H. / Phillips Exeter Academy, and Julia Carter (Dripping Springs, Texas / Dripping Springs). This marked Carter's second meet back from studying abroad, and she continued her strong return by placing fifth in the 50 freestyle with a time of 24.94. Joining her in the event were Benson, who took first, and Easley, who placed eighth.

Sophomore Emme Penry (Greenwood Village, Colo. / Regis Jesuit) delivered a standout performance in the 500 freestyle, dropping nearly 15 seconds from her personal best to claim first place with a time of 5:15.95. She was joined by senior Audrey Jacobson (Dallas, Texas / School for the Talent and Gifted) in fifth place and sophomore Diane Park (Beaverton, Ore. / Mountainside) in seventh.
In the 200 IM, senior captain Neely Burns (Phoenix, Ariz. / Thunderbird) and first-year Kaitlyn Phan (Austin, Texas / Westlake) raced neck and neck throughout the event, pushing each other in a close finish. Burns took the win with Phan close behind, and first-year Sophia Mandanis (Wichita, Kan. / Andover) placed fifth.

To close out Session 1, the Tigers entered three 400 medley relays. The 'A' relay of Easley, Burns, Ortiz, and Benson took first place after a strong race against Franklin College. The 'C' relay of senior Jules Wiehrdt (Waco, Texas / Midway), Penry, senior Erin Morie (St. Louis, Mo. / Cor Jesu Academy), and sophomore Anna Stouffer (St. Louis, Mo. / Clayton) followed with a fourth-place finish, while the 'B' relay of Phan, senior Lindsay McKinney (Victoria, Texas / Saint Joseph), Mandanis, and sophomore Sienna Nordquist finished fifth.

Whilst the swimming was happening, the Tiger divers took to the 3-meter boards putting up some great scores and cool dives. Sophomore Charlotte Brod (St. Louis, Mo. / Parkway North) took second place, and first-years Juliet Hood (Wexford, Pa. / North Allegheny) and Andie Torres (San Antonio, Texas / Reagan) took fourth and eighth respectively. Tune in tomorrow to watch sessions 2 and 3 of swimming and the women's 1-meter diving.