Dec. 6, 2015
ATHENS, Ga. — The Vanderbilt swim team capped off a highly successful trip to UGA by breaking an additional school record and sending 11 student-athletes to final swims. VU closed out the Georgia Fall Invite taking 6th place with 165 points.
“It was a fun weekend for us, what a great group of girls we have this year,” said head coach Jeremy Organ. “It was great to see Kara (Lucenti) swimming so well, she has been really swimming well in practice of late. We’re extremely proud of the whole team, and are looking forward to the second half of the season and preparation for the SEC Championship.”
Kara Lucenti had an outstanding weekend for the Commodores, as the sophomore continued off yesterday’s success, establishing her second school record. The Kenilworth, Ill. native broke Elly Faulker’s 2014 200-yard breaststroke record by taking first in the B Heat with a 2:13.08. Kathryn Coughlin and Kacie Dunham followed, touching in at 19th and 22nd.
Junior distance swimmer, Kathryn Babbin, took 19th in the invitational’s longest race of the weekend, the grueling 1650 free at 17:19.90.
The Commodores earned four swims in Sunday afternoon’s 200 backstroke finals. In a field full of highly experienced swimmers, freshman Madison Eaker led VU in the event, taking 16th with a time of 2:05.90. Senior Hannah Martin took first in heat C at a time of 2:02.19, with Madeline Hunt and Mary Beckwith following at 22nd and 24th.
In the final individual swim of the weekend, Vanderbilt sent five to the 200 fly finals. Kayla Moran led the Commodores as she touched in at 2:00.84, generating a 12th place finish. Fellow junior, Rachel Koch followed right behind Moran, taking 13th at 2:00.88. Coming off of yesterday’s record-breaking swim in the 100 fly, Breanna Sapienza took 16th (2:04.49). Carrie Bencic and Alexandra Blankenburg rounded out the event, earning 23rd and 24th place.
VU took 13th and 15th place in the last race in Athens, the 400 free relay.
The Commodores take a brief break from competition to focus on finals and then head home for the holidays before traveling to Little Rock, Ark. on the 30th of December.
