Courtesy: Ohio State Athletics
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State synchronized (artistic) swimming team hosted its first meet of the 2024 season on Saturday, welcoming Stanford and Michigan to McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion for the Jessica C. Beck Memorial Invitational. The Buckeyes defeated the Wolverines and finished second to the Cardinal with 73 overall points on the day.
Ohio State honored former Buckeye Jessica Beck prior to the start of the meet. Beck, who passed away in 2005 during her senior year at Ohio State, was a three-time scholar-athlete, Academic All-America and All-Big Ten honoree who was committed to her community and was described as the embodiment of the value of hard work. Her impact on the program is still seen to this day, over 15 years later, as student-athletes continue to honor her presence by leaving an open space for her in their traditional huddle during Carmen Ohio.
Junior Hannah Heffernan led the Buckeyes with a win in the solo category. Her routine scored a 176.5292 to win the category. It is her first solo win in her Ohio State career. Heffernan’s duet partner, Emily Armstrong, took second in the category.
Armstrong and Heffernan led the Buckeyes in the duet category, scoring 200.5833 points to take third on the day. Twin sisters Daniella and Gabriella Molano Aragno competed their first competitive collegiate routine in the category.
In trio, Armstrong and Heffernan were joined by Emma Spot, finishing third overall with a score of 133.5416.
Both the Scarlet and Gray teams competed routines in the team category on Saturday. Scarlet led the Buckeyes, scoring a 131.1292 to take third overall.
For its next competitions, Ohio State hits the road to compete at Texas Woman’s University on Feb. 10 and Michigan on Feb. 11.
