New Year Splash: Dive into an Exciting Weekend of Swimming & Diving!

Duquesne vs. Akron (Swimming)

Friday, Jan. 10, 2025 • 5:00 p.m.

Pittsburgh, Pa. • Towers Pool

Duquesne vs. Buffalo (Swimming)

Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025 • 11:00 a.m.

Pittsburgh, Pa. • Towers Pool

Duquesne @ Buffalo Diving Invite (Diving)

Friday, Jan. 10, 2025 to Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025

Buffalo, NY • Alumni Arena Natatorium & Dorsi Raynolds Pool

Take Your Mark … BEEP

– The Duquesne swimming & diving team kicks off the new calendar year by dividing into two events. The swimming squad will host Akron on Friday, Jan. 10, followed by a meet against Buffalo on Saturday, Jan. 11, at Towers Pool. The diving team will head to Buffalo, NY, to participate in the UB Diving Invite from Friday, Jan. 10, through Sunday, Jan. 12.

– Prior to their trip to Pompano Beach, Fla., for their annual winter training camp, the swimming team recently competed at the Fall Frenzy (Nov. 21 – Nov. 24), where they placed third with a cumulative score of 1,148 points.

– On the final day, the 200-yard backstroke was a highlight for Duquesne, as the Dukes secured three of the top five finishes. Senior Haley Scholer spearheaded the effort, achieving first place with a time of 1:55.54, improving from her preliminary time of 1:57.86. Scholer’s performance was also a meet record while meeting the NCAA “B” cut standard.

– Freshman Sierra Snow earned the bronze with a finish of 1:59.27, while her teammate Caitlin Horning clinched fifth place with a final time of 2:00.19. In the 200-yard breaststroke, freshman Jess Burns secured the silver medal, finishing at 2:15.33. Junior Sydney Severini followed closely, earning the bronze in the same discipline with a clocking of 2:15.38. The day began with the 1650 freestyle, where senior Orla Egan captured third place, finishing at 16:58.81.

– On Friday, senior Orla Egan was a standout for Duquesne, gaining the bronze in the 500-yard freestyle. This race was the third event of the day, with Egan clocking a time of 4:55.42. Sophomore Lexi Sundgren and senior Kendra Joachim also participated, with Sundgren finishing sixth at 4:58.49 and Joachim seventh at 5:02.13.

– The diving team recently competed at the WVU Diving Invite on Nov. 20 and Nov. 21. Challenging against 33 participants in the one-meter dive, junior Ashley Felitsky led the team, qualifying for the finals with a preliminary score of 231.20. In the finals, she enhanced her score, finishing sixth out of eight divers with a total score of 234.50 over six dives.

– Sophomore Lydia Redd reached the consolation round, scoring 225.80 after achieving 206.70 in the preliminaries, thus claiming fifth in the consolation. Junior Kendall Nigh recorded a score of 199.10 while freshman Josei Festa marked 191.30. Senior Julia Doolittle (185.65), freshman Brianne Dempsey (180.20), and sophomore Erin Castagnero (175.30) also provided commendable performances.

– On the second day of the three-meter dive, three Dukes proceeded to the consolation round. Felitsky (235.90), Dempsey (220.40), and Nigh (219.80) secured additional dives later that day. Dempsey led their group, finishing fifth with a score of 214.80, followed by Felitsky at 213.20 and Nigh with a score of 207.95.

The Series vs. Akron – It will mark just the 11^th encounter between the Dukes and Zips on Friday evening, with Akron winning the first 10 contests. The two teams meet for the first time since the 2019-20 season and for the first time at Towers Pool since the 2018-19 season. In their last encounter, Sydney Sherman finished third in the 50-yard backstroke with a time of 26.73. Emma Menzer placed fourth in the 800-yard freestyle at 8:23.70, while Hanna Everhart achieved a fourth place in the 150-yard freestyle at 1:23.91. Emma Brinton placed fifth in the 100-yard IM with a time of 59.93, and Erin Kuhn captured fifth place in the 150-yard breaststroke, recording a time of 1:44.83. Sawyer Weitzel led the Duquesne divers on the 1-meter board with a score of 224.35, while Sidney O’Donnell topped the Dukes on the 3-meter with a score of 246.65.

The Series vs. Buffalo – Saturday’s match will be the 10^th contest between the Dukes and Bulls, with Buffalo maintaining an 8-1 lead in the series. The two teams clashed last January, where the Bulls secured a 206.50 – 159.50 win. The festivities began with the 200-yard medley relay, where the team of Haley Scholer, Sydney Severini, Julia Sobun, and Natalia Fryckowska finished in third place with a time of 1:47.13. Freestyle events followed, with four Dukes competing in the 200-yard freestyle; Lexi Sundren finished second at 1:54.39 and Egan Orla took bronze at 1:54.55. Orla continued her day with a silver in the 500-yard freestyle, posting 5:04.51. The eighth event was the 100-yard backstroke, where Scholer earned second with a 57.07 time. The team of Sobun, Johnson, Sundgren, and Fryckowska clinched the silver in the 200-yard freestyle relay clocking 1:36.92.

Preseason Poll – According to a survey of Atlantic 10 coaches, the Duquesne University swimming & diving team has been predicted to finish fourth in the conference for 2024-25. The Dukes totaled 89 points in the survey, with George Washington named the preseason favorite accumulating 10 first-place votes and 120 points. Richmond ranked second with one first-place vote and 105 points, followed by Fordham (96), Duquesne, and Davidson (72) rounding out the top five. George Mason was selected to finish sixth, followed by Massachusetts and St. Bonaventure. La Salle, Rhode Island, and Saint Louis completed the polling.

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