ORLANDO, Fla. – Marshall set a pair of Sun Belt Championship meet records as James Madison maintained its lead by 64.5 points on the third day of the Sun Belt Women’s Swim and Dive Championships at the Rosen Aquatic & Fitness Center in Orlando, Fla. on Friday.
 
During the preliminary session, a pair of Sun Belt Championship records were broken. In the 100 Breast, James Madison’s Riley Bridgman set a new meet record with a personal best time of 1:01.27. The 100 Back saw Marshall’s Kseniia Luniushina break both the meet and league record with a NCAA “B” Standard time of 52.84, which was also a personal best mark. In total, 36 season best times and 27 personal best times were tallied as the evening’s finals were set.
 
The 100 Fly final featured a pair of Marshall athletes take first and second for 37 team points. Madeline Hart swam 53.79 to claim the gold as her teammate Lauren McNamara swam a personal best 54.23 to claim silver. Old Dominion’s Kiersten Donnelly also swam a personal best to claim the final spot on the podium. Alex Volk from James Madison won the “B” final with a season best time of 56.46 and Marshall’s Tatum Robinson swam a personal best 56.44 to win the “C” final.
 
The 400 IM continued the dramatics as two members from the Thundering Herd again found themselves on the podium. James Madison’s Jess Pryne swam a season best 4:14.25 to reclaim the gold with the NCAA “B” Standard mark. Earning the silver with also a NCAA “B” Standard time of 4:16.31 was Marshall’s Eszter Laban. McNamara followed up her silver the event before to win bronze in the 400 IM with a personal best time of 4:22.42, a narrow 0.01 ahead of fourth place. Old Dominion’s Kirsti Mosley swam a personal best 4:28.90 to win the “B” final as her teammate Elissa Profaca swam a personal best to claim the “C” final.
 
The Dukes regained control in the 200 Free with five of the top six finishes. Grace Bousum defended her crown from a year ago and was just 0.06 seconds off setting a new Sun Belt record with a personal best time of 1:47.54. She was joined by teammate Katelyn Fitzgerald in second with a personal best time of 1:48.01. Marshall’s Molly Warner also swam a personal best time of 1:48.26 to earn the bronze. Preslava Tosheva from Marshall claimed the “B” final in 1:52.42. In total, James Madison claimed 79 points from the one event.
 
The Herd answered with four of the top five finishers in the 100 Breast, however James Madison’s Riley Bridgman beat the record she set earlier in the prelims with a NCAA “B” Standard time of 1:01.11 (personal best). Marshall’s Audrey West swam a personal best 1:01.59 to earn silver as her teammate Paige Banton earned the bronze in 1:02.35. Georgia Southern’s Avery Sargeant won the “B” final with a personal best time of 1:04.81 as James Madison’s Rachael Brown won the “C” final with a season best time of 1:04.83. Marshall earned a total of 71 points with the placings to cut the deficit to 590-501.
 
The momentum continued to build as the Herd placed four of the top five finishes in the 100 Back. Marshall’s Kseniia Luniushina improved upon her record breaking time from the preliminaries with a personal best time of 52.49. She was joined by teammate Mia McBride who earned the silver in 54.61. Old Dominion’s Kiersten Donnelly won her second bronze of the night with a season best 54.92 to claim the final spot on the podium. Old Dominion’s Emma Seidel claimed the “B” final with a personal best time of 56.52 as her teammate Samantha Allred won the “C” final with a season best time of 56.39. With the 66 point total from Marshall, the lead narrowed to 40.5, 607.5-567.
 
In the 1M Diving final, Grace Kelsheimer won her first Sun Belt title with a school record score of 318. James Madison’s Alexa Holloway garnered silver with 288.95 as Georgia Southern’s Karlee Wells earned the final podium spot with a score of 285.40. The Dukes placed four of the top six to extend the lead heading into the final event.
 
In the 400 Medley Relay, Luniushina provided a four second head start in her leg of the backstroke to lift Marshall to a new Sun Belt Record with a gold medal in 3:38.11. She was joined by teammates Paige Banton, Madeline Hart and Audrey West atop the podium. James Madison finished second in 3:39.78 as Georgia Southern took bronze in 3:46.88. Old Dominion rounded out the group with a 3:54.55. The James Madison lead was cut to 64.5 as they lead with 712.5 points. Marshall stands in second with 648.
 
Women’s Team Scores (through 14 events)
1. James Madison, 712.5
2. Marshall, 648
3. Georgia Southern, 464.5
4. Old Dominion, 263
 
Championship Records Broken
50 Free – Jamie Cornwell, James Madison [22.54]
100 Back – Kseniia Luniushina, Marshall [52.49]
100 Breast – Riley Bridgman, James Madison [1:01.11]
200 Free Relay – James Madison [1:30.59]
400 Medley Relay – Marshall [3:38.11]
3M Dive – Alexa Holloway, James Madison [350.35]
 
Sun Belt Records Broken
100 Back – Kseniia Luniushina, Marshall [52.49]
 
NCAA “B” Standards
50 Free – Jamie Cornwell, James Madison [22.54]
100 Back – Kseniia Luniushina, Marshall [52.49]
100 Breast – Riley Bridgman, James Madison [1:01.11]
400 IM – Jess Pryne, James Madison [4:14.25]
400 IM – Eszter Laban, Marshall [4:16.31]