NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vanderbilt swimming will get an early start to its spring season with a tri-meet against host San Diego State and San Diego Friday at Aztec Aquaplex. The competition will begin at noon CT.
It’s the first of four meets for the Commodores in a four-week span in preparation for the 2026 SEC Championships.
“With the holiday break we get our Christmas training block, which is a great time to work on being comfortable with being uncomfortable,” head coach Jeremy Organ said. “The group has really been doing a great job with training, this first meet of 2026 will give us a chance to change our focus back to racing.”
The Dores last swam at the three-day Phill Hansel Invitational Nov. 19-21, with the duo of Melissa Cowen and Aubrey Hull each advancing to a pair of A Finals. Cowen’s third-place finish in the 200 breaststroke was the highest by a member of the program at the competition, with her time in the race moving her into second on Vandy’s all-time performer list, as the junior also qualified for the 100 breaststroke A Final. Hull moved on in the 100 and 200 backstroke, with the sophomore’s marks in each final not only her best of the season but also coming within two-tenths of a second of breaking the school record in both events.
Kate Heintz reached the B Final of the 200 butterfly while Ellie Butler claimed the C Final of the event with a time that now stands seventh all-time in program history, with the two also posting top-five results in the 100 butterfly C Final as well. Other Commodores who won finals at the Phill Hansel Invitational included Amelia Harper (100 breast C Final), Sadie Suppiger (100 back D Final), Bailey Ratzburg (200 back E Final) and Ava Allingham (100 breast E Final).
In addition, Grace Ciaramitaro had times that met the CSCAA National Invitational Championship B standard in the 200 back and 400 individual medley last time out.
Vandy has previously faced San Diego State and San Diego on consecutive days in October 2015, and has swam against the Aztecs on three other occasions with the last meeting between the two programs on Oct. 14, 2016, in San Diego.
