SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- The Trinity University women picked up wins in 3-meter diving, the 200 free, 100 back and 400 medley relay to extend its lead to nearly 200 points over Southwestern University heading into the final day of the 2020 SCAC Swimming and Diving Championships. Official Website | Friday's Complete Results | Photo Gallery | Video Interviews Playlist
Trinity leads with 712 points while Southwestern is in second with 540 points. Colorado College sits in third with 503 points.
Trinity earned a victory on the 3-meter board early Friday afternoon where the Tigers continued their dominance in the event. Maren Merwarth scored 473.60 points to take home the league title. It marked the 14th win in the 1-meter in the past 15 years. Merwarth's teammate Katarina Partalas placed second with a score of 450.25 while Colorado College's Peyton Classon was third with a mark of 434.60.
Colorado College's Selma Jukic earned a SCAC title in the 400 IM as she clocked in first at 4:38.69. Trinity's Kari Petersen was second with a time of 4:42.51, and rounding out the top three was Centenary College's Jessica Jordan who finished in 4:48.13.
Kate Brush of Colorado College continued the Tigers' success in the 100 fly as she bested the competition with a time of 56.97 seconds. Her win marked the sixth Colorado College win in the past seven years in the event. Finishing second was Brianna Serret of Centenary as she clocked a time of 57.08 seconds. Jesse Stovall of Southwestern was third with a mark of 57.45 seconds.
The Texas Tigers swept the top three spots in the 200 free. Trinity's Mabel Fowler made history as she set a SCAC championship record - establishing a new top time by touching the wall in 1:51.86. The time also earned her an NCAA 'B' cut time. Teammate Meghan Magill finished second with a time of 1:52.13, which also topped the previous league record and before teammate Caroline Westholder who touched the wall in 1:55.34.
With her win in the 100 breast, Rehgan Hartsell of Southwestern became the first women's swimmer in league history to win the event three consecutive years, recording a winning time of 1:05.31. She also became just the second swimmer to win the 100 breast three times (Julie Culbertson of DePauw University won in 2000, 2001, and 2003). Centenary's Kaylin Swoboda was second finishing in a time of 1:06.13, and rounding out the top three was Emily Erickson of Colorado College who clocked a time of 1:08.74.
After finishing second in 2018 and 2019, Trinity's Star Rosales won the 100 back with the top time of 57.72. It marked the Tigers' second consecutive win in the event. Colorado College's Emma Frey placed second with a time of 58.09 while Brianna Serret of Centenary College was third after she touched the wall in 59.16.
Closing out the evening was the 400 medley relay. Trinity earned its second win in the event in the last three years as the team of Fowler, Caroline North, Morgen Reyna, and Rosales recorded a time of 3:55.90. Southwestern's quartet of Frey, Hartsell, Stovall, and Brielle Adolph touched the wall in second at 3:57.43. Colorado College's team of Millie Benkert, Erickson, Kate Brush, and Jio Chang rounded out the top three with a time of 3:58.37.
The team standings heading into tomorrow's final day are as follows:
1) Trinity University – 712
2) Southwestern University – 540
3) Colorado College – 503
4) Centenary College – 277
5) Austin College – 177
6) McMurry University – 129
7) University of the Ozarks – 123
Competition concludes on Saturday with preliminaries beginning at 10:30 a.m. The league's annual senior night recognition ceremony kicks off the evening session at 5:45 p.m., with finals scheduled to begin shortly afterwards. Click here for the complete schedule of events.
