Record Swims By Esser And Waddell Vault Ladies To Fifth At SCAC Championships
The Centenary swimming teams completed day two of competition at the annual Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Championships on Thursday at the Garland ISD Natatorium as the Ladies moved up from seventh to fifth place and the Gents remained in seventh.
Garland, Texas - The Centenary swimming teams completed day two of competition at the annual Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Championships on Thursday at the Garland ISD Natatorium as the Ladies moved up from seventh to fifth place and the Gents remained in seventh.
Live Video: https://www.meridix.com/live.php?liveid=Sportsgram1
Official Championship Page: https://scacsports.prestosports.com/tournament/winter/swimming/24championships/index
The Ladies and Gents are joined this week by Austin College, Colorado College, McMurry University, University of the Ozarks, Southwestern University and Trinity University for the four-day event. The Ladies and Gents each finished seventh at the SCAC Championships last season. The championships will conclude on Saturday.
The Ladies, seventh after Wednesday's first day of competition with 60 points, picked up 56 points on Thursday to move into fifth place, five points ahead of sixth-place Austin College. Trinity University is the leader on both the men's and women's side after two days of competition as the men have 357 points and the women have 377.
Freshman Hannah Waddell (Shreveport, La.) finished seventh in the championship final of the 200 yard IM as she swam a season-best time of 2:12.11 which is also the ninth-fastest time in the event in program history. She swam an even faster time earlier in the day in the prelims (2:11.68) which is also the ninth-fastest time in history.
Waddell also teamed with senior Anacelia Galeano-Balam (Baton Rouge, La.), freshman Reece Esser (Huntsville, Texas), and junior Madeline Vacula (Belton, Texas) to finish fourth in the championship final of the 400-yard medley relay as they swam a time of 4:14.70. Esser also swam a season-best 24.89 in the consolation final of the 50-yard freestyle which is the seventh-fastest time in the event in program history.
On the men's side, senior Antonio Barbee (Plaquemine, La.), senior Aiden Peterkin (Zachary, La.), freshman Nick Gordon (Aurora, Colo.), and freshman Ubaldo Ayala (Hallsville, Texas) finished sixth in the 400 medley relay in a time of 3:51.82.
Competition begins on Friday at 10:30 a.m. with the prelims of the 200-freestyle relay, 100-yard butterfly, 400-yard IM, 200-yard freestyle, and 100-yard breaststroke, 100-yard backstroke.
A special recognition of all the senior student-athletes is set for 5:45 p.m. on Friday followed by evening finals. Saturday's action begins at 10:30 a.m. and is followed by the finals at 6 p.m.
See the Ladies' complete season schedule here: https://www.gocentenary.com/sports/wswim/2023-24/schedule
See the Gents' complete season schedule here: https://www.gocentenary.com/sports/mswim/2023-24/schedule
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