HAMPTON, Va. – The 24th-ranked Salisbury University women's swimming team is closing in on back-to-back New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) crowns after another tremendous day at the 2026 NJAC Swimming & Diving Championships on Saturday at the Hampton Aquaplex.
The Sea Gulls pulled further away from the field on day three and will enter the final day of competition with 1,093 points and a commanding lead over second-place Mary Washington (676.5) and third-place Rowan (636).
TOP PERFORMANCES
- Rowan O'Donoghue continued to make the conference stage her own personal spotlight, coasting to victory in the 200-yard freestyle in 1:49.26. The mark hit the NCAA B-cut standard, dropped 3.35 seconds off her entry time, and bested the field by a full four seconds.
- A six-time NJAC Rookie of the Week during the regular season, O'Donoghue now boasts three gold medals at her first league championship meet, adding the 200 free to Friday's 500 free and Thursday's 800 free relay.
- Alexa Hilty joined O'Donoghue on the podium in the 200 free by taking the bronze in 1:54.27, while Jenna Krawlzik (1:54.37) and Rachel Rickabaugh (1:54.51) made it four SU swimmers in the event's top five.
- In the finals-opening 200 free relay, Kaitlyn McGuire, O'Donoghue, Lily Griffin, and Hilty earned a silver finish in 1:53.33, beating third-place Mary Washington to the wall by eight hundredths of a second.
- Sadie Hebert (4:31.61) and Addi Wood (4:31.77) received the silver and bronze medals, respectively, in the 400 individual medley.
- SU got another silver-bronze combo in the 100 butterfly behind Griffin (55.83) and Olivia Polucha (57.21), while Libby Miyashita (58.19) placed sixth.
- Maddie Powell finished second in the 100 breaststroke at 1:04.73, while Mackenzie Gula (1:05.20) took fourth and Samantha Watson (1:05.87) sixth.
- Isabelle Salvatore secured a bronze in the 100 backstroke at 57.39 seconds, and Logan Bagley (59.13) placed seventh.
- Salisbury's 1,093 points through three days of competition are 174 points higher than its three-day score at last season's NJAC Championships (919).
Over 400 points clear with six swimming events to go, the Sea Gulls will look to finish off a second consecutive league title on the fourth and final day of the NJAC Championships. Sunday's prelims are slated for 9:30 a.m., followed by the 1,650-yard freestyle race at 2:45 p.m. and the rest of the event finals at 5 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 54 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.
