Gardner-Webb vs Catawba College
- Boiling Springs, N.C.
- January 10, 2025
- SCY (25 Yards)
- Full Meet Results
Courtesy: Catawba College Athletics
Boiling Springs, N.C. —- The 14th-ranked Catawba College women’s swimming bested Division I Gardner-Webb in action for the third time this season, while the 11th-ranked Catawba men fell just short against the Runnin’ Bulldogs on Friday in the teams’ final tune-up before the 2025 South Atlantic Conference Championships.
HOW IT HAPPENED
400 Yard Medley Relay
– The women’s 400 Medley relay team of Lucie Cainaud, Sydney McKenzie, Sydney Peterson and Marit Reckmann emerged victorious with a time of 3:53.31
1000 Yard Freestyle
– Fiona Byrne earned an individual win in the women’s 1000 Freestyle, posting a 10:28.63
– Freshman Jurek Larys came out on top on the men’s side with a time of 9:35.05
200 Yard Freestyle
– Fellow freshman Nazar Herashchenko earned a win in the 200 Freestyle with a mark of 1:41.69
100 Yard Backstroke
– Ash Fortin touched wall first in the 100 Back, earning a 58.15 time on the women’s side
100 Yard Breaststroke
– Maks Minichowski returned to action with a victory over the top GWU competitor in the 100 Breaststroke, finishing in 55.48
200 Yard Butterfly
– Rebecca Possenti tallied a winning result in the Women’s 200 Butterfly with a time of 2:09.38
50 Yard Freestyle
– Ryan Case earned a 0.02-second victory over the top Gardner-Webb competitor in the 50 Yard Freestyle, finishing in 21.05
100 Yard Freestyle
– Reckmann returned to win in the Women’s 100 Free later on in the meet, finishing with a time of 52.31
– Minichowski made it a Catawba sweep in the 100 Free with a 45.75
200 Yard Backstroke
– Cainaud earned her second win of the afternoon with a time of 2:05.83 to finish first in the 200 Back
200 Yard Breaststroke
– Gabi Moll joined the winners’ circle in the 200 Breaststroke with a 2:22.47 mark
500 Yard Freestyle
– Byrne and Herashchenko earned repeat wins as part of a Catawba sweep in the 500 Yard Freestyle with times of 5:06.96 and 4:33.29, respectively
100 Yard Butterfly
– The freshman Peterson earned a win in the 100 Yard Butterfly, touching the wall in 57.13
200 Yard Freestyle Relay
– Catawba’s women’s 200 Free relay team of Marleen Plachetka, Reckmann, Peterson and Brinkley Watson finished the day with a victory, posting a time of 1:36.39
– The Catawba men completed the event sweep with their team of Minichowski, Case, Juan Diego Celis and Ivo Cruz finishing in 1:23.70
UP NEXT
– Catawba’s teams will take the next three weeks to prepare for the 2025 SAC Swimming Championships, which take place at the Greensboro Aquatic Center on Feb. 4-8
Courtesy Gardner-Webb Athletics
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – The Gardner-Webb University swimming team began the 2025 portion of its schedule on Friday morning, hosting Catawba College at Bost Pool
Gardner-Webb began strong in the men’s 100 yard backstroke, taking each of the top three spots in the six-athlete event. Freshman Agustin Orechia took the top spot with a 50.58, while GWU teammates Lewis Warner (51.05) and Joshko Lipp (52.83) finished second and third place.
Orechia also managed first place in the men’s 200 yard backstroke, followed by Warner, with the pair coming in at 1:51.76 and 1:55.67 respectively. Furthermore, Orechia was first in the men’s 100 yard butterfly as well with a time of 50.16 seconds.
Over in the women’s 100 yard backstroke, freshman Dakota Townley continued a strong start to her Gardner-Webb career. The Concord Township, Ohio native touched the wall for first place with a time of 1:06.14. The Gardner-Webb women would dominate the women’s 200 yard IM by taking each of the top two spots, with Townley (2:14.75) in second behind freshman Kaitlyn Estes who won the event with a time of 2:12.25
The Runnin’ Bulldogs also nabbed the top spot in the men’s 200 yard butterfly thanks to sophomore Alex Cook. Cook sprinted in front, winning by over two seconds with a time of 1:51.65
Sophomore Slawka Ndubuisi also continued a fine 2024-25 season by winning in the women’s 50-yard freestyle. The Columbia, S.C. native touched the wall in a blistering 24.06 seconds for first place.
The Runnin’ Bulldogs would make up six spots of a nine man race in the men’s 200 yard breaststroke, led by junior Justin Bender. Bender finished in 2:04.83 for first place, followed by senior Austin Wheeler in second at 2:07.56 and freshman Jo Jo Frye in third at 2:08.28. Later in the day, Bender would also take the top spot in the men’s 200 yard IM behind a time of 1:54.12 and a 25.25 first-leg split.
Lastly, the Gardner-Webb men scored a win in the men’s 400 yard medley relay. Orechia, Bender, senior John David Cass and freshman Manuel Brander combined for a time of 3:20.65, winning by nearly a full second. Brander anchored the event with a blistering 21.60 and 45.85 split in the final leg.
Next up, the Runnin’ Bulldogs host Queens at Bost Pool in ASUN action, scheduled for January 18th at 11:00 am.
