ORLANDO, Fla. – James Madison captured its second consecutive Sun Belt Championship title with 1,067.5 team points on Saturday at the Rosen Aquatic & Fitness Center in Orlando, Fla.
The Dukes repeat as Sun Belt Champions and are the only team in the league’s history to surpass 1,000 points, a feat they also accomplished a season ago.
James Madison’s Alexa Holloway repeated as the Top Meet Scorer Diver with 57 points over the championship. The Top Meet Scorer Swimmer was earned by two individuals, as Marshall’s Kseniia Luniushina and James Madison’s Jess Pryne each finished the championship with 57 points.
During the preliminary session, James Madison’s Jamie Cornwell broke her second record of the meet. In the 100 Free, Cornwell swam a season best 49.65 to earn the top seed into the finals. In total, 30 season best times and 15 personal best times were tallied in the preliminaries.
To start the evening, Marshall’s Eszter Laban defended her title in the 1650 Free with a season best time of 16:51.16. James Madison claimed the next three finishes for 48 team points as Katelyn Fitzgerald [16:54.65] and Abigail Maguire [16:56.93] swam season best times to earn silver and bronze. The event was a timed final with two heats, as Old Dominion’s Sophia Kapla swam a personal best 17:05.31 in the first heat to finish fifth. After the first event, James Madison led 761-699 over Marshall.
The 200 Back saw Marshall’s Kseniia Luniushina win her second individual gold with a personal best time of 1:58.03. James Madison’s Jess Pryne also swam a personal best to earn the silver in 1:59.11. Marshall’s Mia McBride claimed bronze in 2:00.01. Georgia Southern’s Sally Ouzts won the “B” final with a personal best time of 2:02.89.
James Madison pulled away in the 100 Free claiming three of the top four spots as Jamie Cornwell broke a pair of Sun Belt records with a season best time of 48.91, which was also a NCAA “B” Standard mark. Earning the silver was fellow Duke Grace Bousum with a season best time of 50.10. Georgia Southern’s Chiara Alberti claimed bronze with a personal best time of 50.30. Old Dominion’s Lauren Masters swam a personal best 51.83 to win the “B” final. In total, the Dukes scored 56 points in the event to extend their lead to nearly triple digits 871.5-773.
Marshall answered in the 200 Breast with three of the top four finishes, however James Madison’s Riley Bridgman won the gold with a personal best and NCAA “B” Standard time of 2:12.73. Audrey West finished second with a personal best time of 2:15.64 as her teammate Paige Banton finished in third with 2:16.24. Marshall’s Katie Fisher won the “B” final with a personal best time of 2:19.83 as Old Dominion’s Kaylee Eggers won the “C” final with a personal best mark of 2:26.02. With three events remaining, James Madison led 919.5-842.
Marshall earned its third gold medal on the final day as Lauren McNamara improved her NCAA “B” Standard time in the prelims with a season best swim of 1:58.73. In lane eight, James Madison’s Angela Ritchie swam a personal best 2:00.07 to secure silver. McNamara was joined by Madeline Hart on the podium in third who swam 2:00.77. Georgia Southern’s Grace Dowdy swam a season best 2:06.94 for nine team points in the “B” final.
In the Platform Diving final, the top four finishers all hit Zone Qualifying scores surpassing the 225 point threshold. Alexa Holloway set both a Sun Belt Championship and season record with 267.15 points. Her teammate Emma LaFountain earned the silver with 257.25 as Georgia Southern’s Karlee Wells earned the bronze with a score of 243.50.
The final event of the championship came down to the 400 Free Relay. James Madison broke both records it set last season to secure its second consecutive title with a blazing time of 3:18.90. The Dukes’ squad of Grace Bousum, Alex Volk, Madison Wimmer and Jamie Cornwell secured the top podium spot. Marshall finished second in 3:23.48 as Georgia Southern took third in 3:23.51. Old Dominion rounded out the field in 3:35.52.
Women’s Team Scores (Final)
1. James Madison, 1067.5
2. Marshall, 974
3. Georgia Southern, 704.5
4. Old Dominion, 384
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]
100 Free – Jamie Cornwell, James Madison [48.91]
200 Free Relay – James Madison [1:30.59]
400 Free Relay – James Madison [3:18.90]
400 Medley Relay – Marshall [3:38.11]
3M Dive – Alexa Holloway, James Madison [350.35]
Platform Diving – Alexa Holloway, James Madison [267.15]
Sun Belt Records Broken
100 Back – Kseniia Luniushina, Marshall [52.49]
100 Free – Jamie Cornwell, James Madison [48.91]
400 Free Relay – James Madison [3:18.90]
Platform Diving – Alexa Holloway, James Madison [267.15]
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]
100 Free – Jamie Cornwell, James Madison [48.91]
200 Breast – Riley Bridgman, James Madison [2:12.73]
200 Fly – Lauren McNamara, Marshall [1:58.73]
400 IM – Jess Pryne, James Madison [4:14.25]
400 IM – Eszter Laban, Marshall [4:16.31]