A school record in the final event—the 400 freestyle relay—capped off a strong postseason showing for the Little Rock swimming and diving team at the CSCAA National Invitational Championships (NIC) this past week. Their performance helped the team secure a 27th-place finish overall out of 47 women's teams at the meet. The relay team of Lena Nikolaeva,
Gabriella O'Neil,
Lauren Pieniazkiewicz, and
Jaelle Carlson lowered the time they had set at conference last year.
"Our women showed incredible toughness and heart, stepping up against top mid-major competition with just a week of preparation. Finishing the season with a 4th place finish and a school record in one of our strongest relays was a phenomenal way to go out. We also bid farewell to some of Little Rock's very best—Jaelle, Cheryl, Lauren, and Caitlin. We will miss them dearly and couldn't be prouder of all they have accomplished." -Said Head Coach Nathan Townsend.
The NIC provides a postseason championship event for Division I swimmers and divers who have achieved NCAA B-cut or Zone standards but were not selected for the NCAA Division I Championships, creating a highly competitive field. The nine Trojans who competed in the meet were right in the thick of the action, delivering standout performances. They secured a top-8 finish in both the 100 freestyle and 400 freestyle events, while also qualifying for the finals in two individual races. Junior Carlson advanced to the finals in the 50 freestyle and 100 butterfly, finishing 17th in both events.
Other individual best times and notable performances included
Cheryl Poulsen's impressive swim in the 50 butterfly, clocking in at 25.49. This time earned her a spot on the program's all-time top-10 list for the event.
Elena Nikolaeva also delivered a standout performance, dropping time in the opening leg of the 400 freestyle relay. She touched the wall at 50.29, securing the fourth-fastest time in program history.
The Trojans competed in the 200 and 400 medley relays, as well as the 400 freestyle relay, finishing in the top 16 for the 200 medley and the top 8 for the 400 freestyle relay. The team broke the 400 freestyle relay record they had set over a year ago, claiming 4th place with a time of 3:20.07.
For the latest information on Little Rock Swimming and Diving, make sure to check out
LRTrojans.com. You can also find the team on social media at @LittleRockSwim on
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