Wheeling University Women’s Swimming Team Shines at Malone Midseason Invitational
Canton, OH – The Wheeling University Women’s Swimming team concluded the Malone Midseason Invitational with an impressive performance, securing a third-place finish among 14 competing teams, amassing a total of 927.50 points. This achievement positioned them ahead of all Mountain East Conference (MEC) teams participating in the event.
Outstanding Individual Performances
The day commenced with a standout performance from senior Gabby Baiano in the 1650 Freestyle. Baiano showcased her prowess, finishing third overall with a time of 18:05.56, just eight seconds shy of first place. She excelled particularly against other MEC swimmers, outperforming them by a margin of five seconds. Fellow teammate Lacie Langmyer also made her mark, claiming fifth place in the same event with a time of 18:28.29.
Momentum in the 200-Yard Backstroke
The team’s strong performance continued in the 200-Yard Backstroke, where Niki Chrysafi achieved her third top-five finish of the week, placing fifth overall and second amongst MEC competitors with a time of 34.37 seconds. This was closely followed by Grace Moorley, who secured a fourth-place finish in the 100-Yard Freestyle, clocking in at 53.16 seconds. Her teammate Lydie Sprecher competed in the same event, finishing seventh with a time of 54.30 seconds.
Sprints and Finals Overview
As the competition progressed, Caitlin Oltman participated in the B Finals of the 100-Yard Freestyle, finishing with a time of 28.55 seconds in 15th place. Meanwhile, Sofia Garcia swam in the C Finals, completing the race in 57.48 seconds, securing a 23rd place finish. Oltman continued her participation in the 200-Yard Breaststroke, concluding the day with a 22nd place finish at 2:43.31. Olivia Moyer triumphed in the B Final of the 200-Yard Butterfly, achieving a 9th overall finish with a time of 40.01 seconds, closely followed by Mikayla Smitley, who took 10th place with a time of 40.46 seconds.
Relay Event Conclusion
The final event of the day was the 400-Yard Freestyle Relay, where the quartet of Langmyer, Oltman, Sprecher, and Moorley delivered a strong performance, finishing fourth with a time of 3:40.10.
Looking Ahead
The Wheeling University Women’s Swimming team is set to return to the pool on Saturday, January 10th, for a match against Lenoir-Rhyne at 1 PM.
