AAC Championships: Rice Owls Soar to First Title in Narrow Fashion
The Rice Owls secured their first AAC championship over the weekend, defeating the Florida International Panthers, 1475.5-1474, in a thrilling finish.
AAC Wednesday
Florida International got out to an early lead Wednesday night, defeating Rice in the 200 medley relay with a team of Diana Santamaria, Frida Loebersli, Oumy Diop and Jessica Shpilko.
A break from swimming was then taken for the women’s team diving competition, with North Texas’ Kamryn Wong, Sydney Guidara, and Amelia Sharp setting a championship record of 312.3.
Swimming resumed with the 800 freestyle relay, as a team of Lise Coetzee, Rafaela Sumida, Andrea Zeebe and Maya Wilson won in 7:10.83.
AAC Thursday
Ava Portello gave the Owls their first win of the meet to kick off Saturday, winning the 500 freestyle in 4:44.06. FIU struck back with a strong swim in the 200 IM by Nicole Frank (1:57.42). Tulane’s Catherine Russo put the Green Wave on the board with a win in the 50 freestyle (22.2), edging teammate Maya Wilson.
North Texas continued its dominant diving showing, with Wong and Guidara going 1-2 in the 1-meter diving (310.9, 290.3). Tulane battled to take down FIU in the 200 free relay for their second win of Thursday night (1:30.07).
AAC Friday
Friday began with the speedy women’s 400 IM, asFrank scored her second individual win (4:12.23).
Rice’s Arielle Hayon won the 100 fly (52.3) while Tulane scored another 1-2 as Wilson got her revenge in the 200 freestyle, beating out teammate Coetzee with a time of 1:46.04. FIU’s Emma Becker then took victory in the 100 breast, setting a championship record with a 59.02.
The Panthers followed with another victory in the 100 back, with Diana Santamaria winning in 53.74. North Texas’ Wong beat out ECU’s Frida Zuniga Guzman to win her third event in the 3-meter diving, with a score of 338.2. FIU (3:36.12) then closed out the night with a win over the Owls (3:37.23) in the 400 medley relay.
AAC Saturday
The Owls flew back into the conference title race to begin Saturday, going 1-2-3 in the 1650 freestyle with Ella Dyson winning (16:20.26). They carried the momentum into the 200 back, as Ava Hamblett edged FAU’s Meg Drover-Smith to win in 1:55.81.
Lots of familiar faces were seen as the meet continued, with Tulane’s Wilson and Rice’s Hayon picking up their second individual wins in the 100 freestyle and 200 fly, respectively. FIU’s Frank won her third title, prevailing in the 200 breast (2:10.49).
ECU secured its first win of the meet with Frida Zuniga Guzman in the platform diving, prevailing with a championship record score of 310.8.
With the championship on the line, Tulane pulled off a win over FIU in the 400 free relay, with a team of Rafaela Sumida, Olcaytu Hatipoglu, Catherine Russ and Wilson giving Tulane third as a team (3:17.66).
Final Team Scores
- Rice University- 1475.5
- Florida international University- 1474
- Tulane University- 1234.5
- East Carolina University-1177
- University of North Texas-1160
- Florida Atlantic University- 1008