UNC ASHEVILLE VS GARDNER-WEBB VS CUMBERLANDS
- January 9, 2026
- Boiling Springs, N.C.
- SCY (25 yards)
- Results
Courtesy: UNCA Athletics
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Women’s Swimming and Diving saw the three-meter school record fall, while the swimmers topped Gardner-Webb 109-91 in Atlantic Sun Conference action on Friday (Jan. 9).
The divers were paced by freshman Eleanor Pichetto, who set a new school record in the three-meter event with a score of 253.28 in the finals to finish third, along with recording a score of 241.28 in the prelims. Haley Fein finished fourth for the Bulldogs, recording a score of 207.53 in the prelims before notching a new personal best in the finals with a mark of 221.10. Leigha Travis took fifth in the event, with a score of 236.93 in the prelims and a mark of 218.55 in the finals.
“The divers got it done today at Georgia Southern!” said diving coach Bailey Betzer. “We had so many good dives today including a new school record! It was a great day of diving as we head into day two tomorrow!”
Asheville picked up seven event wins on the night, taking first and second in three different events while also sweeping the 500 free. Rose Sciaudone and Kathryn Walters went first and second in the 1000 free, while Anna Marcotti posted a win in the 200 free. Beatrice Cocconcelli and Alessia Cunegatti took first and second in the 200 IM, while Cunegatti also won the 200 back. Roberta Marchesi made her Bulldog debut with a win in the 500 free, while Miriam Wheatley finished second in the event.The quartet of Gracie Hunt, Andie Quisumbing, Gianna Riffel and Beatrice Cocconcelli won the 200 free relay while Marchesi, Wheatley and Celine Petruschke swept the 500 free to round out the event victories for the Bulldogs.
“Today was a strong kick-off for 2026,” said head coach Elizabeth Lykins. “It was nice to get up and race again. The team has been working hard since our return to campus and it showed.”
The divers return to action for the final day of competition tomorrow (Saturday, Jan. 10). The action begins at 12:00 p.m. from Statesboro, Ga.
Courtesy: GWU Sports
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – The Gardner-Webb swimming team was back at Bost Pool for the first time in 2026 on Friday night to compete against Cumberlands and UNC Asheville, with both the GWU men’s and women’s scoring team victories against the former
With only the women’s team competing against UNC Asheville, the Runnin’ Bulldogs started with a victory in the women’s 400-yard medley relay. Slawka Ndubuisi, Dakota Townley, Hannah Routh and Jenna Valentine posted a race-winning team of 3:55.16
Valentine was back in the pool as an individual in the women’s-200 yard freestyle. The freshman was excellent in the field of six, finishing second place in 1:59.12 with a lightning-fast 27.73 split, the fastest of anyone in the heat. Valentine also competed in the women’s-200 yard butterfly, winning in 2:11.82
Ndubuisi returned to the pool for the women’s 50-yard freestyle, where the Columbia, S.C. scored an individual victory. Ndubuisi recorded a time of 24.06 seconds, nearly a second and a half faster than second place, to win the heat. She’d also take first in the women’s 100-yard freestyle in 53.17 seconds a little while later
Elsewhere for GWU, Townley scored a victory in the women’s 200-yard breaststroke in 2:19.33, and Routh was second in the women’s 200-yard backstroke with a time of 2:12.86
On the men’s side, Luke Weber and Santiago Alcantara went 1-2 in the men’s 1000-yard freestyle. Weber won the event in 9:33.63, while Alcantara was just behind with a time of 9:45.50. Alcantara would go on to take first place in the men’s 200 yard butterfly later in the day, recording a time of 1:53.20, just ahead of GWU teammate Alex Cook who posted 1:53.86 in second
Also top step of the podium for GWU were Victor Cury and Agustin Orechia. In the men’s 200-yard backstroke, Orechia defeated all competitors in 1:55.21. Meanwhile, in the men’s 500-yard freestyle, Cury was victorious in 4:38.42. Weber was just behind for the Dawgs in 4:39, while Alcantara placed third in 4:49.28
Another strong event for the Gardner-Webb men was the men’s 200-yard IM. Defending ASUN champion Justin Bender managed to tie for first place, recording a time of 1:57.08 with a 27.06 final split. Gardner-Webb would go 3-4-5 as well, with Jojo Frye (1:57.25), Dan Bennett (1:59.96) and Thomas Adam (2:03.84) in the event field.
Courtesy: Cumberlands Athletics
Boiling Springs, NC – The #3 Patriots women’s swimming team returned to the water, kicking off their 2026 portion of the schedule, falling 118-82 to Gardner-Webb Friday afternoon. It was UC’s first meet NCAA DI opponent since 2019 and Cumberlands clipped six national cuts.
UC began the meet with Sarah Zoellner, Megan Schoenlein, Bella Hoare, and Ugne Takuseviciute teaming up to clock a 4:05.39 in the 400 medley relay.
Juliana Lopez Morales posted UC’s first win of the day as she pulled away from the field to clock a 10:46.14, winning the 1000 free.
Hoare and Lopez Morales recorded a one-two finish in the 500 free. Hoare touched the wall in 5:14.93, while Lopez Morales went 5:16.12; both times clipped the NAIA provisional cut.
In the 200 free, Takuseviciute edged out Hoare by 0.13 for third place as the duo won 1:59.39 and 1:59.52, respectively. Takuseviciute followed that u,p clocking a 54.80 in the 100 free to post a fourth-place finish with a national cut.
Zoellner notched UC’s final cut of the day as she went 2:14.31 to finish third in the 200 fly.
Celin Ullern (50 free, 25.75) and Schoenlein (200 breast, 2:30.97) both posted a third-place finish in their respective events. Alicja Sedlak was the Pats’ top finisher in the 200 IM (2:17.51), while Addison Ringwald went 2:17.38 in the 200 back.
In the final event of the day, the 200 free relay, Zoellner, Sedlak, Victoria Niska, and Ullern combined to clock a 1:41.70 for a runner-up finish.
UC returns to the water on Friday, January 16th, when they travel to Danville, KY to face Centre and Transylvania in a tri-meet. That meet is set to begin at 6:30 p.m.
