#14 Women’s Swimming Caps Off Season with Thrilling Third Victory Over Division I Gardner-Webb in Dual Meet Split

Boiling Springs, N.C. — The 14th-ranked Catawba College women’s swimming surpassed Division I Gardner-Webb for the third time this season, while the 11th-ranked Catawba men’s team narrowly lost to the Runnin’ Bulldogs on Friday in their final preparation before the 2025 South Atlantic Conference Championships.

 

HOW IT UNFOLDED

400 Yard Medley Relay

– The women’s 400 Medley relay ensemble featuring Lucie Cainaud, Sydney McKenzie, Sydney Peterson, and Marit Reckmann clinched victory with a time of 3:53.31

 

1000 Yard Freestyle

– Fiona Byrne achieved an individual triumph in the women’s 1000 Freestyle, clocking in at 10:28.63

– Freshman Jurek Larys claimed victory on the men’s side with a time of 9:35.05

 

200 Yard Freestyle

– Another freshman, Nazar Herashchenko, secured a win in the 200 Freestyle with a time of 1:41.69

 

100 Yard Backstroke

– Ash Fortin finished first in the 100 Back, recording a time of 58.15 on the women’s side

 

100 Yard Breaststroke

– Maks Minichowski made a successful return with a win over the leading GWU contender in the 100 Breaststroke, finishing in 55.48

 

200 Yard Butterfly

– Rebecca Possenti achieved a victorious time of 2:09.38 in the Women’s 200 Butterfly

 

50 Yard Freestyle

– Ryan Case clinched a narrow 0.02-second triumph over the leading Gardner-Webb athlete in the 50 Yard Freestyle, coming in at 21.05

 

100 Yard Freestyle

– Reckmann returned later in the meet to win the Women’s 100 Free, finishing with a time of 52.31

– Minichowski contributed to a Catawba sweep in the 100 Free with a time of 45.75

 

200 Yard Backstroke

– Cainaud achieved her second victory of the day with a time of 2:05.83 in the 200 Back

 

200 Yard Breaststroke

– Gabi Moll joined the winners in the 200 Breaststroke with a mark of 2:22.47

 

500 Yard Freestyle

– Byrne and Herashchenko both achieved consecutive wins as part of a Catawba sweep in the 500 Yard Freestyle, recording times of 5:06.96 and 4:33.29, respectively

 

100 Yard Butterfly

– Freshman Peterson claimed victory in the 100 Yard Butterfly, finishing in 57.13

 

200 Yard Freestyle Relay

– Catawba’s women’s 200 Free relay team consisting of Marleen Plachetka, Reckmann, Peterson, and Brinkley Watson concluded the day with a win, achieving a time of 1:36.39

– The Catawba men completed the event sweep with their team of Minichowski, Case, Juan Diego Celis, and Ivo Cruz finishing in a time of 1:23.70

 

WHAT’S NEXT

– Catawba’s squads will spend the next three weeks preparing for the 2025 SAC Swimming Championships which are scheduled at the Greensboro Aquatic Center from Feb. 4-8