Vanderbilt Swimming concluded its fall season at the Phill Hansel Invitational at the CRWC Natatorium in Houston, Texas, on Nov. 19-21. Junior Melissa Cowen led the squad as the only Commodore to score points in all three days of competition. The team placed 10th out of 11 overall.
The ‘Dores started Day One strong as Bailey Ratzburg and Cowen swam personal bests in the 200-yard individual medley. They now hold the seventh- and 10th-fastest times in the event in Vanderbilt’s program history. Amelia Harper and Ava Allingham trailed behind with times of 2:04.32 and 2:05.37, respectively, with Allingham’s time being a career best. Madelyn Porter swam a season best 4:59.19 in the 500 freestyle with Grace Ciaramitaro trailing with a personal record of her own at 5:00.25. Aubrey Hull, Cowen, Ellie Butler and Lane Gooding closed out the night in the 400 medley relay, finishing in 3:42.35, the eighth-fastest mark in Vanderbilt’s program history.
“It was an encouraging start to the meet,” head coach Jeremy Organ said. “The highlight of the day for sure was Grace and Amelia going lifetime bests in their races.”
Vanderbilt kept the momentum going heading into Day Two. Cowen’s fifth-place finish in the A final allowed her to swim for the sixth-fastest time in school history. Harper swam a career-best time of 1:03.47 in the 100 breaststroke. First-year Sadie Suppiger and Allingham secured their first individual victories at the collegiate level in the D final of the 100 backstroke and E final of the 100 breaststroke, respectively. Sophomore Abby Hite swam a personal best in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:52.65. Merritt Zieminick trailed Hite with a 1:53.41 to capture a career best in the event.
“I was really pleased with our day,” Organ said. “We experienced a lot of growth today, improving on swims from the morning and getting into some great races.”
On the final day of the meet, Cowen swam a 2:12.66 to achieve a third-place finish and moved into second on Vanderbilt’s all-time list in the 200 breaststroke. Hull followed with a fourth-place finish, and Harper swam a personal record with a time of 2:18.44. Butler secured the first-place finish in the 200 butterfly C final, moving her into seventh place on the squad’s all-time best list. Ciaramitaro swam a season best of 2:00.32 in the 200 backstroke. Gooding and Natalie Strongyli followed suit with career-best times in the 100 freestyle.
Vanderbilt Swimming will return to the pool on Jan. 16 to face Kentucky and Texas A&M at home.
