Arkansas Stays Undefeated At Home With Dominant Win Over Vanderbilt

Arkansas vs. Vanderbilt

• January 20, 2024
• Fayetteville, Arkansas
• SCY (25 yards)
• Results
• Final Scores:
  • Arkansas – 151
  • Vanderbilt – 103

Vanderbilt made the trip to Fayetteville this weekend to take on the Arkansas Razorbacks. The home team decisively claimed victory by a 48-point margin, winning all 14 events. Arkansas’ win keeps them undefeated at their home pool this season.

Arkansas had multiple athletes win both of their individual events, including Sydney Craft, Adela Vavrinova, Betsy Wizard, and Alessia Ferraguti. Craft, a sophomore, opened things up for Arkansas with a win in the 1000, as she stopped the clock at 10:19.76. Craft later completed her distance freestyle sweep after winning a close race in the 500 (5:02.36). 

Also completing sweeps of their event groups was Wizard, a sophomore, and Ferraguti, a senior. Wizard commanded the butterfly events, hitting times of 2:00.94 and 54.62 to win both by two seconds. Ferraguti won the breaststroke races in 1:01.71 and 2:14.90, with her 200 breast putting her nearly three seconds ahead of the next fastest finisher. 

Vavrinova secured wins in the 100 backstroke and 200 IM. In the 100 back, the senior led a 1-2 Razorback sweep with a season best time of 56.12, while freshman Gracie Colvin was about a second back at 57.42. Vavrinova was also dominant in the 200 IM, hitting a 2:03.19 to clear the field by over two seconds. Though not a season best, her 200 IM was the fastest she’s been in a dual meet this season.

Faith Knelson and Mercedes Traba led the way for Vanderbilt. Knelson, a senior, was the runner-up finisher in the 100 (1:02.55) and 200 breast (2:19.40), while Traba grabbed 2nd in the distance races with times of 10:22.12 and 5:02.60. Traba narrowly missed her season best in the 1000, however, it is the fastest that she’s been in a dual meet so far this season.

Another highlight for Vanderbilt was the 400 medley relay, as the team of Sophia Kosturos (55.09), Knelson (1:00.89), Kailia Utley (53.46), and Ellie Taliaferro (49.94) clocked a 3:39.98 to post the 2nd-fastest time in program history.

Up next, Vanderbilt will be back in Arkansas to face Little Rock and North Texas, while the Razorbacks will travel to Kansas.