NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Postseason action will continue for Vanderbilt swimmers Melissa Cowen and Aubrey Hull when the duo competes Thursday-Saturday at the CSCAA National Invitational Championship.
Preliminary heats at the Florida Aquatics Swimming & Training facility in Ocala, Florida, will get underway at 8:30 a.m. CT each day of the competition with finals set for a 5 p.m. start.
“This week gives us another opportunity to represent Vanderbilt at a really high-level meet with a lot of great teams,” head coach Jeremy Organ said. “We’re looking for some great swims throughout the week, and I also think it’s really important in our development as we think about where we ultimately want to be and how to get to the highest level.”
Cowen met the CSCAA NIC A cut in the 50 and 200 breaststroke while achieving the NIC B standard in the 50 freestyle, 100 breaststroke and 200 individual medley her first season as a Commodore. The junior posted Vandy’s highest individual finish at the 2026 SEC Championships in February when she placed 26th in the 200 breast, going on to add a 31st-place result in the 100 breast at the meet.
Originally from Auckland, New Zealand, her best marks of the campaign in the 100 and 200 breast—set at Houston’s Phill Hansel Invitational during the fall season—lead the Dores as does her career-best time in the 50 free recorded at the SEC Championships. Cowen made the podium after touching the wall third in the 200 breast A Final at the Phill Hansel Invitational, also finishing fifth overall in the 100 breast at the competition, and she claimed the 200 breast in the final dual meet of the regular season at Arkansas Jan. 30.
Hull will be competing at the National Invitational Championship for the second time in as many years when she swims in the 50, 100 and 200 backstroke this week after earning runner-up and third-place finishes in the consolation final of the 100 and 200 back, respectively, a year ago. The Charlotte, North Carolina, resident ended up 28th overall to just miss finals in the former event at the SEC Championships last month, adding a top-35 result in the latter as well.
Her best times of the season in both disciplines—which are best on the team—came at the Phill Hansel Invitational in November when she advanced to the A Final of each event. All five of the sophomore’s team-high individual victories came in backstroke races in 2025-26, including two in the 100 back and a pair in the 200 back.
Hull enters the CSCAA meet the school record holder in the 100 back and ranked second on the Commodores’ all-time performer list in the 200 back, with Cowen second in program history in the 200 breast while standing sixth in the 100 breast.
This marks the third time in the last four seasons that Vandy will have multiple swimmers competing at the National Invitational Championship.
