UNC Asheville Finishes Regular Season Undefeated With Wins Over VMI, Emory & Henry

UNC Asheville vs VMI vs Emory & Henry (Women)

• Saturday, January 21, 2023
• Asheville, N.C.
• SCY (25 yards)
• Results
• Team Scores
  • UNCA 236, VMI 59
  • UNCA 204, Emory & Henry 51
  • VMI 134, Emory & Henry 120

Courtesy: UNCA Athletics

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The UNC Asheville swimming & diving team finished off its second straight undefeated season on Saturday as it defeated both VMI (236-59) and Emory & Henry (204-51) at the Justice Center Pool in a double dual meet. Asheville finishes the regular season with a record of 9-0 and it has now won 21 consecutive dual meets.

“We were proud to share the pool today with Emory & Henry and VMI as we celebrated our 10 exceptional seniors,” said UNC Asheville Head Coach Elizabeth Lykins afterward. “Their successes in the pool, classroom and community are extraordinary and unmatched. I am extremely proud of these women and all their accomplishments. While this weekend has been bittersweet, we are excited for one last competition at conference championships in only a few weeks.”

Asheville had plenty of highlights both in the pool and on the boards in its double dual against the Keydets and Wasps. Freshman Beatrice Cocconcelli had arguably the biggest accomplishment of the day as she broke the school record in the 100-yard individual medley with a time of 59.10.

The Bulldogs won all 16 events in the meet. Cocconcelli took the top spot in her record-breaking outing in the 100-yard individual medley. Caitlin Hefner (1000 Free – 10:33.30), Anna Marcotti (200 Free – 1:54.20, 500 Free – 5:14.33), Sammy Kershner (200 Fly – 2:11.97, 100 Fly – 59.72), Abby Parks (50 Free – 24.65), and Julie Lahiff (200 Breast – 2:30.62) also logged the top times on Saturday.

Seniors Nora Segurola Larrinaga (100 Back – 57.37, 200 Back – 2:05.41), Mikaela Fullerton (100 Breast – 1:07.45), and Delaney Carlton (100 Free – 51.61) all won events in their final home meet as a Bulldog on Saturday.

Asheville took the top spot in the two relays (200 medley, 400 Freestyle) too. To open Saturday’s action, the foursome of Segurola, Fullerton, Christa Jones, and Carlton paced the field with a time of 1:47.11. The Bulldogs then closed out the meet with a time of 3:37.37 in the 400-yard freestyle relay from Marcotti, Peny, Kilpatrick, and Cocconcelli.

In the diving portion of the meet, which occurred on Friday, the Bulldogs saw their divers log the top three point totals in both 1-meter diving competitions. Morgan Coughlen won one of these 1-meter dives with a point total of 219.65, while Coughlen shared the top spot with fellow Bulldog Jade Canady in the other with a point total of 209.70.

Asheville will return to action on February 15-18 when it competes at the Coastal Collegiate Sports Association Swimming & Diving Championships in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Courtesy: VMI Athletics

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The VMI women’s swimming and diving team earned a victory Saturday against Emory & Henry College 134-120 and fell to UNC-Asheville 236-59 in a double dual meet at the Justice Center Pool.

“I am incredibly proud of the effort and enthusiasm our women brought on the boards and in the pool,” said head coach Scott Thacker. “They stepped up for one another, raced hard for one another and as a result came home with the first win for VMI women’s swim and diving since November of 2020.”

How it happened:

*On the boards, London Yerasimides took home two fourth-place finishes on the 1m board. Ella Davenport finished seventh in both 1m events
*The 200 medley relay of Noelle Tong, Anne Bowles, Jillian Maher and Kate Taylor finished third
*Rachel Greathouse touched second in the 1000 free and Valerie Tonnu finished fourth
*Tong finished fourth in the 100 backstroke and Carter Wasser finished sixth
*Bowles placed second in the 100 breaststroke
*Greathouse finished fifth in the 200 fly and Rachel Bearz took seventh
*In the 200 backstroke Wasser placed fourth
*Bowles finished second in the 200 breaststroke and Jessica Cox finished in fifth
*In the 500 free, Anna Grace Adams swam to a fourth-place finish, and Tonnu finished fifth

Courtesy: Emory & Henry Athletics

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The Emory & Henry College Women’s Swimming Team (5-10) completed its regular season schedule on Saturday morning with a double-dual against the University of North Carolina Asheville and Virginia Military Institute.

The Basics
FINAL SCORE – UNC Asheville 204, Emory & Henry 51
FINAL SCORE – Virginia Military Inst. 134, Emory & Henry 120
LOCATION – Asheville, North Carolina
VENUE – Justice Center Pool
RECORD – 5-10 (2-4 SAC)

How It Happened
– Freshman Mackenzie Barnett (Monroe Township, N.J.) was second in the 200-yard freestyle at 2:00.47 and placed fifth in the 50-free (:26.03) and 100-free (:57.12).
– Sophomore Rachel Ritter (Gibsonville, N.C.) tallied a third-place finish in the 200-yard breaststroke at 2:42.37 with freshman Gabby Sadosky (Las Vegas, Nev.) taking third in the 500-yard freestyle (5:36.75).
– Freshman Jill Koler (Manassas, Va.) was fourth in both the 100- and 200-breaststroke with times of 1:13.62 and 2:46.78, respectively.
– Freshman Mick Sorochen (Monmouth Junction, N.J.) was fourth in the 100-yard butterfly at 1:02.89 and touched the wall fifth in the 100-back (1:04.64). Sophomore Hope Christensen (Moroni, Utah) was fourth in the 50-free at :25.83.
– Sophomores Tilly Craddock (Christiansburg, Va.) and Peyton Helscher (Simi Valley, Calif.) were fifth in the 200-yard backstroke and 500-yard freestyle, respectively while freshman Cassidy Allitt (Knoxville, Tenn.) took fifth in the 100-breast.
– E&H saw its 200-yard medley relay finish fourth overall at 1:58.70 and had a third- and a fourth-place finish in the 400-yard freestyle relay (3:52.02; 3:59.28).

Up Next
– Emory & Henry will close out the season at the inaugural South Atlantic Conference Championships next month. The four-day, eight-session meet will run from Wednesday, February 8 through Saturday, February 11 and will be held at the Mecklenburg County Aquatic Center.