By: Jake Renie, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
DANVILLE, Ky. – After a successful start to the new year at the Colonel Classic two weeks ago, the Centre swimming & diving teams suited up for their first of two duel meets this weekend on Friday. The programs hosted the Transylvania Pioneers in Boles Natatorium, the women emerging victorious on a 210.5 – 58.5 final score while the men tallied a 209 – 65 victory.
The Gold & White kicked off the meet strong by claiming both 400 medley relays, the women earning the win first on a 13-second victory. The team of
Caroline Lee,
Natalie Cox,
Callie West and
Greer Manger totaled a 4:04.09 final time for the event. The men's relay consisted of
Dustin Niebauer,
Ben Wafford,
Calvin Mar and
Jackson Fears, the squad posting a 3:39.8 time. The relay's final time resulted in an almost-seven second win.
Centre would earn victories in the next three events in the meet,
Elise Burch and
George Von Canon sweeping both sides of the 200 free. Burch would take down the women's side on a 1:58.88 final time while Von Canon would squeak a victory on his 1:49.56 time for the men by .31 seconds.
Jackson Fears would find a win among the clutter of victories for Centre on Friday, his five-second win in the men's 200 fly tallying as the only student-athlete in a sub-two minute time on his 1:59.66 finish.
Brandon Anderson would eclipse his season-high total on the diving board, his one-meter set reaching above 300 points to win the men's side of the event. Anderson's boost on his NCAA Regional qualifying ticket now puts him at a high mark of 300.05 points.
Gracie O'Brien would emerge as the winner on the women's side of the event, the sophomore earning 144.5 points overall on her way to first place.
Mar earned his second win of the day in the men's 100 fly, the freshman pushing to a career night for himself on a :54.39 time in the race. Mar's race surpassed the second-place finisher by almost three seconds overall.
The final relays of the night were tight for the Colonels, but several key exchanges was all the difference in helping them conclude the night on a pair of wins. Manger,
Katelynn Stanczyk, Burch and
Olivia Headley combined for a 1:43.4 final time in the women's 200 free relay, the quad's back-half pulling through for a 1.9-second win. The men consisted of
Eli Merritt,
Ben Webster,
Henry Lang and
Max Galvin, the squad edging out Transylvania by .7 seconds to win on their 1:32.21 time. Lang's :22.56 was the fastest leg in the entire heat, a second and a half over the second-place relay.
The Colonels won't have to travel out of state for their meet on Saturday afternoon, the programs stepping up against Union in Barbourville, Ky., tomorrow for a second-consecutive day of competing. The meet is scheduled to kick off at 12 p.m. ET.
