By: Jake Renie, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
FRANKLIN, Ind. – In their final set of dual meets before the big Wabash Invitational next weekend, the Centre swimming & diving teams traveled up north for a three-way dual meet with the Franklin Grizzlies and the Bluffton Beavers. The Colonels came away with a win against Franklin, snapping a 51-meet skid with the women's final score of 171-125. Although the men would fall to the Grizzlies in a tight 155-143 meet, the two programs also came away with victories against the Beavers on Saturday.
Callie West and Caroline Lee led the Gold and White's efforts in the team victory, each contributing a team-high four wins during the meet. The two would duo in the squad's winning 200 medley relay, teaming up with Natalie Cox and Emma Daman for a 1:52.62 final time that edged the Grizzlies by over two seconds. The 2022 All-American Honorable Mention would sprint her way to a win in both the women's 100 free (:54.40) and the 100 fly (:59.40), Centre finishing first through third in the former event.
Lee's slew of wins would stem from three individual events, last week's SAA Swimmer of the Week sweeping the backstroke events again (100; 1:01.62, 200; 2:14.07) while also collecting another first-place finish in the women's 50 free. Lee's :25.06 win in the event wouldn't be the only thing to celebrate in race,
Elise Burch (:26.28) and
Meredith Walker (:27.22) finishing second and fourth overall to score a bulk of points in the team's efforts.
Kai Oddo would head the men's set of races on Saturday afternoon, winning his first three events that included one relay and two individuals. His solo accomplishments consisted of the men's 50 free (:21.89) and the 100 free (:48.05), the later race showcasing an improvement of a half second in the event. The Gold and White would also score a win in the meet's first event of the afternoon; Oddo, Dustin Niebauer, Ben Wafford and
Jackson Fears collectively finishing the men's 200 medley relay with a 1:38.08 final time.
Wafford would be the only other multi-event winner for the Colonels in the meet, soon after touching first in the men's 100 breast with a 1:02.12 final time. The Gold and White would prove some depth in the event, Fears finishing right behind the freshman for a one-two finish on his 1:02.6 time.
Centre will head back to Danville, Ky., and finish their preparations for the Wabash Invitational, their final meet of the fall semester. Their big midseason multi-day set of events will start on Friday, Nov. 18 and run through Saturday, Nov. 19.
