At Rice University on Friday, the St. Thomas Men's and Women's Swimming teams met the D-I Owls for a time trial event to prepare for the start of their conference season. The Celts competed hard in a scrimmage atmosphere against top-tier competition and now turn their attention to SCAC opponents.
The Celts competed in 14 of the 18 mixed events across the evening. Each Celt individually competed in three events. Here's a quick summary of their individual performances:
MEN
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Dakota Smith competed in the 50, 100, and 200-yard freestyle events. He recorded the top times at the event in all three, displaying his abilities and proving he's ready for the conference slate.
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Charlie Wallace and Oscar Mayorga each competed in the 50, 100, and 200-yard butterfly events. Wallace led the way for the Celts in the 50 and 100-yard races, while Mayorga was the first Celt to finish the 200-yard race.
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Lucas Blado and Josiah Mendez each competed in the 50, 100, and 200-yard backstroke events. They posted competitive times in all three, highlighted by Blado's top-3 finishes, showing their talents against top-level competition.
WOMEN
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Kelsy Elgar and Emely Lopez each competed in the 50, 100, and 200-yard freestyle events. Elgar was the top-finishing Celt in all three events, but both swimmers made strong contributions to the team and showcased their determination in the water heading into the conference season.
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Allyson Pantin competed in the freestyle events as well, but focused on long-distance races, competing in the 100, 200, and 500-yard races. She competed well for the Celts and is primed for a strong conference season.
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Ava Verret took on the 100, 200, and 400-yard individual medley events. She recorded strong times in all three, showing her skills and readiness to help lead the Celts into their first conference slate.
Next up for the Celts is their first conference opener in program history! They head to their next official competition meet at Trinity, beginning this Friday, November 3. Good luck to our UST swimmers!
