The Texas A&M women’s swimming and diving teams made waves in the NCAA opener taking first place against the Houston Cougars.
The maroon and white competed at CRWC Natatorium on Thursday, Oct. 7 and took first place in 12 of 16 events. Debuts by sophomore Abby Grottle and freshman Aviv Barzelay garnered gold while seniors Aimee Wilson and Chloe Ceyanes dominated on springboard.
Grottle finished first with a time of 10:07.53 in the 1,000-yard freestyle, followed by a 4:55.85 victory in the 500-yard freestyle. Barzelay topped the Cougars in both the 100- and 200-yard backstroke with times of 55.16 and 2:00.11, respectively.
Wilson took first in both the 1-meter and 3-meter diving with scores of 303.15 and 342.75, respectively. Ceyanes followed with second place finishes and a score of 289.88 in 1-meter diving and a 292.28 on 3-meter.
The 200-yard medley relay of freshman Kaitlyn Owens, junior Andrea Perttula, senior Caroline Theil and sophomore Bobbi Kennett bested the Cougars finishing with a time of 1:42.23.
Sophomore Chloe Stepanek dominated the 100- and 200-yard freestyles for two more wins at 50.18 and 1:48.65, respectively.
Senior Kylie Powers took first in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:04.19 while sophomore Emme Nelson came in third in the 200-yard breaststroke with a time of 2:20.92. Nelson followed first place finisher Cougar Abbie Alvarez with a time of 2:19.48 and second place finisher junior Cougar Audre McKinnon with a time of 2:20.49. Nelson took sixth place in the 200-yard IM with a time of 2:07.22.
In the 50-yard freestyle, junior Emma Stephenson took first with a time of 23.73, just shy of her 22.33 personal best.
Claiming the butterfly events, sophomore Olivia Theall had two first-place finishes in the 100- and 200-yard with times of 54.52 and 2:02.04, respectively.
The 400-yard freestyle relay team of Owens, sophomore Sarah Szklaruk Traipe, freshman Brooke Fegley and Theall came in second to the Cougars with a time of 3:29.46.
The Aggies will next host University of Texas on Friday, Oct. 15 at 5 p.m. in the Rec Center Natatorium.