Vanderbilt Swimming celebrated its seniors on Feb. 1 at its final dual meet of the season against Southern Illinois. The Commodores lost the meet 154-108, but two Commodores qualified for the NCAA Championships — marking the first time two Commodores have qualified for the NCAA Swim and Dive Championships since 1990. Kailia Utley met the NCAA B Standard in the 200-yard butterfly and Emily Constable did the same in the 100 breaststroke.
A ceremony celebrating Vanderbilt’s seniors preempted the meet. The seniors — Gray Almasi, Megan Ciezczak, Karsyn Cook, Emma Dalton, Libby Gilbert, Mercedes Traba, Utley and Clare Vetkoetter — were presented with a framed photo to commemorate their time at Vanderbilt and then gathered for a photo with coaches and athletic director Candice Storey Lee.
The meet started with the 200 medley relay, which Southern Illinois claimed handily. Vanderbilt’s A relay finished second and included two first-years and two seniors: Aubrey Hull, Constable, Cook and Reagan Mathieson. The Commodores fought back with a one-two finish in the 1000 freestyle. Madelyn Porter finished first with a time of 10:12.76 and Merritt Zieminick touched the wall shortly after at 10:17.03.
Seniors Mathieson and Gilbert both found the podium in the next event, finishing second and third, respectively, in the 200 free. The pair each set season bests, with Mathieson touching the wall in 1:49.16 and Gilbert clocking 1:49.86 — both of which were good enough for the CSCAA B Standard.
The Salukis swung the momentum back their way with a one-two finish in the 100 backstroke. Quinlan Hinerfield broke up the sweep by finishing third with a time of 55.11. Constable made her mark in the next event, meeting the NCAA B Standard in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:01.11. With the swim, Constable became the second first-year in Vanderbilt history to qualify for the NCAA Division I Swim and Dive Championships.
Utley qualified for the NCAA Championships the very next event, meeting the B Standard with a time of 1:56.49 in the 200 fly. This year will be the senior’s second consecutive trip to the championships, as she became the first Commodore since 1989 to qualify for the meet last season.
Southern Illinois swept the 50 free after Utley’s triumph in the 200 fly, but Mathieson won the 100 free with a time of 50.01 to raise her team’s spirits. After the Commodores lost the next two events, Traba broke this trend with a victory in the 500 free thanks to a time of 4:51.52. Utley then claimed her second victory of the meet with a podium-topping time of 53.55 in the 100 fly.
Traba was in a heated race for second in the 400 individual medley after an intermission, but a strong freestyle leg gave her the silver with a time of 4:21.13 The meet ended with an SIU victory in the 400 free relay.
The Commodores will compete at the SEC Championships from Feb. 18-22 in Athens, Georgia, looking to build off a promising performance in 2024.
