INDIANAPOLIS, Ind.- The University of Southern Indiana Women’s Swimming and Diving team returned to the IU Natatorium for the second straight year opening the season against the host Indiana University Indianapolis and Northern Kentucky University in a double dual. The Screaming Eagles dominated the Norse 193-5 but fell to the Jaguars 137-97.
The Eagles earn their first victory over Northern Kentucky and continue to inch closer to the IU Indy Jaguars. USI fell to the Jaguars last year 149-93.
Sophomore Preseason Summit League Swimmer to Watch Hayden Shurtz was the lone Eagle to win an event as she took the 100 breaststroke. The sophomore finished 2.11 seconds faster than the second-place finisher at 1:06.67.
Junior Elizabeth Busby, junior Makana Goss, sophomore Caiya Cooper, and Shurtz kick started the season with a second place 400 medley time (4:01.91). Junior Mattilynn Smith also finished second in her 1000 freestyle season debut (10:58.92).
Freshman sprinter Simone Green made her USI debut with a respectable 50 freestyle third place finish (25.37). Freshman Emma Gabhart becomes the second fastest 200 individual medley swimmer in the USI history books with a second-place finish (2:12.95). The current 200 IM record holder is Shurtz (2:09.64).
The two new freshman divers lead the Eagles in the one-meter dive event. Freshman Gabbie Meier finished in second place (202.95 pts), while freshman Anna Bunnell was right behind in third place (200.40 pts). Bunnell led the Eagles in the three-meter dive (205.20 pts).
Junior Sarah-Catherine Dawson started her season strong with a tight second place finish (1:00.51) in the 100 Butterfly. Another freshman made a strong debut as Elizabeth Ketcham placed second in the 100 Backstroke (1:00.09). Green, Ketcham, Smith, and Cooper delivered a quick 400 freestyle relay (3:38.78).
