2016 NAIA National Championships – Women’s Meet
- Dates: Wednesday, March 2 – Saturday, March 5, 2016; prelims 9 am, finals 5 pm
- Location: Columbus Aquatic Center, Columbus, Georgia (Eastern Time Zone)
- Defending Champions: Oklahoma Baptist University (results)
- Live Results: Available here
- Live Video: Available here
- Championship Central
Savannah College of Art and Design won its first national championship since 2010 with a strong final session at the 2016 NAIA National Swimming and Diving Championships in Columbus, Georgia. The Bees won two individual events and the 400 free relay, and had 13 A finalists on the final day. Olivet Nazarene won one event and secured their second-place team finish, while Biola took home two national titles.
1650 Freestyle – Fastest Heat
- Caroline Lepesant, SCAD Savannah 16:44.01
- Courtney Hayward, Brenau 17:02.54
- Grace Van Ryckeghem, Cumberlands 17:30.78
SCAD Savannah senior Caroline Lepesant won her third national title in the 1650, this time coming within .64 of the NAIA record of 16:43.37, going 16:44.01. Lepesant set SCAD school records in both the 1650 and 1000 and won by nearly a pool length. Defending champion Courtney Hayward of Brenau, who won the 500 free and 400 IM on the first two days of the meet, touched in 17:02.54, about 6 seconds off her winning time from 2016. Third place went to Grace Van Ryckeghem of University of the Cumberlands in 17:30.78.
The rest of the top eight consisted of Hayley Ronci of ONU, Ella Kleinschmidt of Brenau, Sierra Rhodes of ONU, Emily Wood of Lindsey Wilson, and Shannon Brouk of SCAD.
200 Backstroke – Final
- Amanda Moran, ONU 1:59.32
- Tiffany Ray, ONU 2:02.31
- Hannah Legg, SCAD Savannah 2:02.68
Amanda Moran of Olivet Nazarene took home her second backstroke title of the meet with a 1:59.32 in the 200 back. Teammate Tiffany Ray went 2:02.31 for second, just ahead of SCAD senior Hannah Legg with 2:02.68.
Columbia College junior Megan Monahan was fourth, followed by Brenau freshman Lindsay Dowling Cumberlands’ Christina Klouda and Brittany Litke, and McKalyla Stevens from College of Idaho.
100 Freestyle – Final
- Lisa Tixier, Biola 51.12
- Heather Partlow, SCAD Savannah 51.97
- Simone de Rijcke, Lindenwood-Belleville 52.09
Biola sophomore Lisa Tixier reversed the tables on SCAD’s Heather Partlow in the 100 free, after getting touched out in the 50. Tixier touched in 51.12, almost a whole body length in front of Partlow (51.97). Simone de Rijcke of Lindenwood-Belleville came in third with 52.09.
SCAD’s Abigail Richey and Haley Thompson were fourth and fifth. Fran Meyer of West Virginia Tech came in sixth, followed by Maddy Kelly of College of Idaho and Julie Henninger of SCAD.
200 Breaststroke – Final
- Christina Ali, Biola 2:18.31
- Andrea Vega, ONU 2:19.64
- Ronni Borders, Lindsey Wilson 2:19.91
Biola junior Christina Ali won the 200 breast in 2:18.31, with ONU freshman Andrea Vega in tow, going 2:19.64. Ronni Borders of Lindsey Wilson was third with 2:19.91.
The rest of the top eight consisted of Kendra Monnin of WVU Tech, Alle Ragland of SCAD, Safiy Abdullah of Columbia College, MK Jabbia of Brenau, and Victoria Tornelli of Cumberlands.
200 Butterfly – Final
- Hannah Legg, SCAD Savannah 2:03.98
- Rebecca Justus, SCAD Savannah 2:04.98
- Emma McKinley, SCAD Savannah 2:05.01
The top five 200 butterfliers were all SCAD Bees. Hannah Legg took the gold in 2:03.98; she was followed by Rebecca Justus (2:04.98), Emma McKinley (2:05.01), Cadie Crow (2:08.56), and Haley Thompson (2:08.57).
The rest of the top eight included Grace Van Ryckeghem of Cumberlands, ONU’s Hayley Ronci, and Lindsey Wilson’s Laura Stephenson.
400 Freestyle Relay – Final
- SCAD Savannah 3:27.24
- Olivet Nazarene 3:30.70
- Biola 3:34.15
Heather Partlow (52.11), Julie Woody (51.91), Haley Thompson (51.73), and Abigail Richey (51.49) closed the meet with a big victory in the 400 free relay with 3:27.24. ONU was runner-up 3.5 seconds later with 3:32.83. Biola picked up the bronze medal in 3:34.15.
Final Team Scores
| Rank | Team | Points | Vs Prelims | Vs Psych |
| 1 | SCAD Savannah | 753 | 12 | 43 |
| 2 | Olivet Nazarene University | 502.5 | -16.5 | 93.5 |
| 3 | Brenau University | 336 | 6 | -49 |
| 4 | Biola University | 316 | -22 | -19 |
| 5 | University of the Cumberlands | 276 | 8 | -41 |
| 6 | Lindsey Wilson College | 225 | 5 | -14 |
| 7 | The College of Idaho | 200 | 0 | 19 |
| 8 | West Virginia University Institute of Technology | 171 | -5 | -30 |
| 9 | Lindenwood University – Belleville | 168 | 4 | -35 |
| 10 | Wayland Baptist University | 166.5 | 18.5 | 26.5 |
| 11 | Columbia College | 151 | 12 | 22 |
| 12 | St. Andrews University | 89 | -3 | 8 |
| 13 | Union College | 62 | -5 | -20 |
| 14 | Thomas University | 56 | -7 | 15 |
| 15 | Asbury University | 55 | -5 | -8 |
| 16 | Life University | 48 | 2 | -10 |
| 17 | Soka University of America | 22 | 8 | 10 |
| 18 | Morningside College | 9 | -6 | -15 |
| 19 | College of Saint Mary | 6 | 0 | 4 |
| 20 | Campbellsville University | 4 | -6 | 0 |
“The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., is a governing body of small athletics programs that are dedicated to character-driven intercollegiate athletics.
In 2000, the NAIA reaffirmed its purpose to enhance the character building aspects of sport. Through Champions of Character, the NAIA seeks to create an environment in which every student-athlete, coach, official and spectator is committed to the true spirit of competition through five core values.”
