HAMPTON, Va. – Nine months after leaving town with a conference championship, the Salisbury University women's swimming team left the Hampton Aquaplex with some more hardware, winning the Yellow Jacket Invitational after day three-of-three between the lanes on Sunday afternoon.
The Sea Gulls racked up a total of 1,320 points, standing tall over the field of eight teams and comfortably ahead of second-place Washington & Lee (1,157). It marks the first midseason invitational crown for the Salisbury women in the
Nate Parsley era (since 2021-22).
PRELIMS
- Finalists in the 200-yard backstroke: Olivia Polucha (2:07.33, 3rd), Isabelle Salvatore (2:09.06, 6th), Logan Bagley (2:10.10, 7th), Delaney Gibbons (2:10.43, 8th), Ashlyn Swaim (2:15.95, 12th), Morgan Adams (2:16.40, 16th).
- Finalists in the 100 freestyle: Rowan O'Donoghue (53.66, 2nd), Kaitlyn McGuire (5th, 54.38, 5th), Alexa Hilty (54.59, 7th).
- Finalists in the 200 breaststroke: Maddie Powell (2:23.25, 1st), Samantha Watson (2:24.32, 2nd), Makenzie O'Brien (2:33.01, 12th), Katelyn Johnston (2:34.52, 13th).
- Finalists in the 200 butterfly: Lily Griffin (2:06.92, 1st), Polucha (2:07.23, 2nd), Libby Miyashita (2:08.23, 4th), Sierra Wakefield (2:13.13, 8th), Kayla Ciaccia (2:24.16, 18th), Swaim (2:27.62, 22nd).
FINALS
- Addi Wood proved the afternoon's iron woman by winning the 1,650 free in 17:09.85. Sadie Hebert (17:34.43) and Jenna Krawlzik (17:41.92) finished fourth and fifth, respectively.
- Wood also broke a program record in the 1,000 free with a time-trial marker of 10:22.48.
- Olivia Polucha took home a bronze in the 200 back in 2:08.35, while Isabelle Salvatore just missed the podium in fourth at 2:08.47.
- Rowan O'Donoghue claimed gold in the 100 free in 51.95 seconds, with Kaitlyn McGuire (53.65) finishing third.
- Maddie Powell touched up first in the 200 breast in 2:19.65, with Samantha Watson rolling in at third in 2:23.66.
- Lily Griffin (2:06.38) and Libby Miyashita (2:06.41) took gold and silver, respectively, in the 200 fly.
- Salisbury turned in a strong performance to close the meet, placing first and third in the 400 free relay. The A-side of Rachel Rickabaugh, McGuire, Alexa Hilty, and O'Donoghue topped the W&L quartet by 12 hundredths of a second at 3:31.75, while the B-team (Salvatore, Logan Bagley, Griffin, Polucha) touched in 3:35.59.
PROGRAM RECORDS
WEEKEND WRAP-UP
- The Sea Gulls won 12 of a possible 18 gold medals; their 31 total medals accounted for over half of the 54 podium slots up for grabs.
- Freshman Rowan O'Donoghue continued her torrid start to the season with seven medals – six gold and one silver – which tied for the most on the team with Lily Griffin (two gold, three silver, two bronze).
- Six SU swimmers finished among Swimcloud's top 10 for the weekend. O'Donoghue led the way with 66 points, while Addi Wood and Maddie Powell each earned 60 for the team.
After its first off weekend in a month, Salisbury wraps up the 2025 calendar on Saturday, Dec. 6, at home against Division I UMBC. First events from Maggs Pool are set for 1 p.m.
Salisbury University is a proud member of NCAA Division III with primary membership in the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference, along with affiliate membership in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (football, men's & women's swimming), Coastal Lacrosse Conference (men's lacrosse), State University of New York Athletic Conference (field hockey), and Colonial Women's Golf Conference (women's golf). With over 500 student-athletes in 23 varsity sports, SU is recognized as one of the nation's most competitive intercollegiate athletics programs regardless of division, featuring dedicated coaches and staff that foster excellence on and off the field. The Sea Gulls have won a combined 23 team national championships, 24 individual national championships, and 206 conference championships, and have produced 53 Academic All-Americans.
To Make Tomorrow Yours at Salisbury University, and learn more about Sea Gull Athletics' tradition of excellence, visit SUSeaGulls.com or follow on social media @SUSeaGulls.
