2018 CONFERENCE-USA WOMEN’S SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Wednesday, February 21 – Saturday, February 24
- Georgia Tech Aquatics Center, Atlanta, GA (Eastern Time Zone)
- Defending Champion: Florida International (3x) (results)
- Live results
- Live Video (if available)
- Championship Central
- Day 1 final results
- Day 2 final results
- Day 3 final results
2nd-place Rice opened Friday’s finals session with a win in the women’s 400 IM from senior Kaitlyn Swinney in 4:12.89, and after that, meet leaders Florida International went on a roll. 5 wins in 7 events grew the Panthers’ lead to over 200 points ahead of the Rice Owls.
That included a 1-2 finish in the women’s 100 fly, where Letizia Bertelli won in 53.32; and another 1-2 finish in the women’s 200 free, led by Kyla Pereira. All four referenced swimmers are seniors.
The highlight of the night was another 1-5 finish in diving from the Panthers, with another senior Becca Quessel taking the win on the 1-meter springboard.
Junior Naomi Ruele earned her 2nd individual event win of the meet, adding a 52.54 in the 100 backstroke to her win on Thursday in the 50 free. She came within .13 seconds of the Conference USA Record. That time puts her 37th in the country. Her 50 free is still the higher-ranked of the two events, and is almost a lock to earn her an invite to the NCAA Championships.
The Panthers finished the day with a 5-second win in the 400 medley relay, including another 52-second leadoff from Ruele and a 53.4 butterfly leg from senior Ally Mayhew.
FIU’s 5 new wins jump them to 10 victories in 14 events so far in the meet.
Aside from Swinney’s opener, the lone dissenting victory came from Old Dominion’s Ashley Brenn, who swam 1:00.75. She overcame a half-second deficit at the turn to Rice junior Marie-Claire Schillinger, who was 2nd in 1:00.89.
