DANVILLE, Ky. – In the final session of the Southern Athletic Association Championship meet, the #21 Trinity University women's swimming & diving team continued to make a statement in their first championship meet in the conference. Finishing with a commanding 984 team points, Trinity secured the conference title with a 230-point margin over second-place Centre College.
The evening opened with the grueling 1650 freestyle. Senior Audrey Jacobson (Dallas, Texas / School for the Talent and Gifted) led the Tigers with a third-place finish, followed by senior Erin Morie in sixth and sophomore Diane Park (Beaverton, Ore. / Mountainside) in tenth, adding valuable points to the team total.
In the 200 backstroke, first-years Kaya Alvegaard-Struble (Kansas City, Mo. / Pembroke Hill) and Kaitlyn Phan (Austin, Texas / Westlake) delivered standout swims, placing second and fourth, respectively. They were joined by senior Erica Peterson (Lantana, Texas / Guyer), who added a seventh-place finish in the A final.
The Tigers showed impressive depth in the 100 freestyle. Junior Amy Benson (Newmarket, N.H. / Phillips Exeter Academy) tied for first place with a swimmer from Centre College in a thrilling, down-to-the-touch finish. Fellow junior Julia Carter (Dripping Springs, Texas / Dripping Springs) followed with a third-place finish, while senior Jules Wiehrdt (Waco, Texas / Midway) placed sixth. Junior Allison Ortiz (Houston, Texas / Stratford) and sophomore Anna Stouffer (St. Louis, Mo. / Clayton) rounded out the A final in seventh and eighth place, respectively.
Senior captain Neely Burns (Phoenix, Ariz. / Thunderbird) continued her dominant championship performance in the 200 breaststroke, capturing another gold medal and earning an additional NCAA Division III B-cut. Sophomore Emme Penry (Greenwood Village, Colo. / Regis Jesuit) posted a lifetime best to finish fourth, and senior Lindsay McKinney (Victoria, Texas / Saint Joseph) also recorded a lifetime best en route to an eighth-place finish.
In the 200 butterfly, the Tigers secured second place represented by first-year Sophia Mandanis (Wichita, Kan. / Andover) and third place for senior Erin Morie (St. Louis, Mo. / Cor Jesu Academy). Morie battled through the race despite her goggles slipping halfway off, showcasing tremendous grit to secure the podium finish.
On the boards, first-year Juliet Hood (Wexford, Pa. / North Allegheny) once again dominated, winning the 3-meter diving competition by an impressive 70-point margin. She was joined by sophomore Charlotte Brod (St. Louis, Mo. / Parkway North) in fifth and first-year Aubrey DeLeon (Corpus Christi, Texas / King) in sixth, capping off a strong weekend for the diving squad.
The championship concluded with the 400 freestyle relay, where the Tigers' 'A' relay of Benson, Burns, Alvegaard-Struble, and Carter captured gold, finishing five seconds ahead of second place to seal the team victory in dominant fashion.
During the final awards ceremony, Burns was named Swimmer of the Meet, Hood earned Diver of the Meet honors, and Diving Coach Tommy Law was recognized as SAA Women's Diving Coach of the Year. Coaches Cathleen Pruden, Mabel Fowler, and George Black were named Women's Coaching Staff of the Year. The evening culminated with Trinity lifting the SAA Championship trophy, officially securing the program's first SAA title.
