Courtesy: Tulane Athletics
IRVING, TX – The Tulane swimming and diving team swept the weekly awards by the American Athletic Conference (AAC), the league office announced on Tuesday afternoon following the first week of action.
Transfer graduate student Catherine Russo was named the AAC’s Swimmer of the Week after aiding Tulane to a 150-87 victory over Vanderbilt in the season opener on Sept. 27. The win over the Commodores was the first for the program since 2015. Russo earned a pair of individual victories to help lead the squad. Her 50 free time (23.25) is currently No. 1 in the AAC, No. 2 in the Mid-Major Times and No. 5 in the NCAA. It also ranked her No. 5 all-time at Tulane in the event. Her 100 fly (55.21) is currently No. 1 in the AAC, No. 2 in the Mid-Major Times and No.5 in the NCAA. She also anchored the Green Wave’s winning 200 free relay (22.99) that is not only No. 1 in the AAC but also No. 2 in the NCAA over a pair of SEC teams in Alabama and Arkansas.
Senior diver Rachel Casebolt was also a double winner for Tulane in the 3-meter and the 1-meter diving events in the dual meet against Vanderbilt. She won the 3-meter with a score of 231.08 and earned the 1-meter title with a score of 247.43. Her 3-meter score was less than two points from her collegiate best, while he 1-meter dive was a career best by more than 25 points. The meet also marked Casebolt’s first time winning either board while at Tulane as well as the first time she has ever won the 3-meter in her collegiate career.
Russo is the first Tulane swimmer to be named the AAC’s Swimmer of the Week since Victoria Raymond took home on the honor on Oct. 10, 2023. Overall, Russo is the fourth Tulane swimmer to be named the AAC’s Swimmer of the Week (Victoria Raymond – Oct. 10, 2023; Kate McDonald – Dec. 15, 2020 and Feb. 12, 2019 and Paris Zhang – Jan. 20, 2018). Her being named makes her the 11th different individual that has been named a conference swimmer of the week in the program’s history along with Victoria Raymond (2023 – AAC), Kate McDonald (2020 & 2019 – AAC), Paris Zhang (2018 – AAC), Elizabeth Cook (2015 – CUSA), Mia Schachter (2014 – CUSA), Kayla Alf-Huynh (2011 x 2 – CUSA), Samantha Berdine (2005 – CUSA), Linda McEachrane (2004 – CUSA), Sarah Dicharry (2004 – CUSA) and Leslie Christian (2004 – CUSA).
Casebolt is the first Tulane diver to be named the AAC’s Diver of the Week since Paige McKenzie took home the honor on Feb. 2, 2021. She is just the fourth individual Tulane diver ever recognized as a weekly award winner along with Paige McKenzie (2021 – AAC), Lauren Arnold (2013 – CUSA) and Danielle Carrillo (2005 & 2004 – CUSA).
In Tulane’s 150-87 victory over Vanderbilt, the program had nine event victories and 24 top three finishes.
Next Tulane gets on the road for the first time and will have a pair of dual meets against Liberty on Oct. 18-19 in Lynchburg, Virginia. The Friday meet against LU starts at 5 p.m., while the Saturday contest against the Flames begins at 10 a.m.
Tulane’s swimming program had an outstanding 2023-24 season that resulted in 64 lifetime bests, 31 all-time top-10 school marks, four school records, an AAC individual title, an AAC Freshman of the Year Award, 11 National Invite Championship Qualifiers, a Zone Diver Qualifier and an NCAA qualifier. The program is returning 13 swimmer and divers from last season and added a newcomer class of 11 for Coach Caldwell’s third season in charge of the program. Tulane placed sixth at the 2024 AAC Championships with 379 points and were ranked fourth in the conference’s 2024-25 Preseason Coaches Poll.
Go green wave!!