Tulane Swimming and Diving completes regular season

Jude Papillion, Sports Editor

Since The Hullabaloo last covered the Green Wave Women’s Swimming and Diving Team, following their win at Delta State University, the team has competed in five additional meets, finishing 2-4. 

On Nov. 20 and 21, the Green Wave traveled to Houston, Texas, to face Rice University. On the first day of the meet, sophomore Lilly Byrne finished first in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 4:52.44. Bryne was followed by teammates junior Noa Heron in second, junior Iza Pelka in third and sophomore Hailey Roberti in fourth. Riley Hendrix finished second in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 26.36, and was followed by Ashley Carollo in fourth and Courtney Barker in fifth. Senior Kate McDonald won both the 200-yard individual medley and the 50-yard breaststroke for the Green Wave with times of 2:05.21 and 29:52 respectively. Tulane also finished second in the 400-yard medley relay to wrap up the first day of the meet.

On the second day of the Rice meet, the team recorded three first-place finishes. Byrne won the 1650-yard freestyle with a time of 16:56.02, and Heron finished second at 17:03.04. Danielle Titus was victorious in the 200-yard backstroke, finishing at 2:01.81. Titus was followed by a convoy of Tulane swimmers, with Mya Drost-Parra, Giannia Spremullo and Hendrix finishing in second, third and fourth respectively. McDonald claimed victory in the 200-yard breaststroke at 2:16.60 and was followed in second by freshman Christiana Williams who finished at 2:16.87. Despite these finishes, however, Tulane lost the meet to Rice 254-146. 

The Green Wave then traveled to Baton Rouge to face the LSU Tigers, finishing first in four events. McDonald had two of the Green Wave’s first place finishes, finishing the 100-yard breaststroke at 1:01.59 and the 200-yard breaststroke at 2:14.92. Titus won the 100-yard backstroke at 55.21, a new career record. Titus also finished second in the 200-yard backstroke at 2:00.80, another career record. Byrne took home a win in the 500-yard freestyle, finishing at 4:53.82. The first place wins were not enough to win the meet, and the Green Wave fell to the Tigers 189-111. 

After her impressive showing against LSU, McDonald was named American Athletic Conference Women’s Swimmer of the Week.

Kate McDonald was named AAC Women’s Swimmer of the Week on Dec. 15. (Parker Waters)

Tulane returned to Houston on Jan. 11 to face the Houston Cougars in their first American Athletic Conference matchup of the season. McDonald won both the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:05.13 and the 200-yard breaststroke at 2:19.84. Byrne won the 1000-yard freestyle at 10:17.13, while finishing second in the 500-yard freestyle at 4:58.29. Titus finished second in the 100-yard backstroke at 56.71 and the 200-yard backstroke at 2:02.36, while freshman Winter Craig also put up points, winning the 200-yard butterfly in a career best 2:05.06. Tulane was also finished in second place in the 400-yard medley relay with a time of 3:50.55 and in the 200-yard freestyle relay 1:37.42; however, the Green Wave lost the meet to the Cougars 203-97. 

12 days later, the Green Wave faced the SMU Mustangs in Dallas, grabbing the gold in seven events but falling to the Mustangs 147-111. Heron won the 1000-yard freestyle with a time of 10:10.74 to start the day’s action. Heron was followed by Titus who won both the 100-yard and 200-yard backstroke with times of 56.33 and 2:01.92, respectively. McDonald continued her dominance, winning the 200-yard breaststroke at 2:17.45 and the 100-yard breaststroke at 1:03.34. Byrne won the 500-yard freestyle at 4:58.83 and finished second in the 1000-yard freestyle at 10:13.41. The day was capped off by Tulane’s 200-yard freestyle relay team, which beat SMU in the day’s final event at 1:37.89. 

On Jan. 30, the Green Wave claimed their second team victory of the season, defeating West Florida 195.5-104.5 in New Orleans. Tulane won 13 of the meet’s 16 events, giving West Florida their first loss of the season. The Green Wave dominated on the platform, with Gabby Hebert finishing first in the three-meter with a career-best 252.53. Paige McKenzie won the one-meter with a career best 272.55 and finished second in the three-meter at 245.85. The Green Wave won the 200-yard medley relay, as Titus, McDonald, Roberti and Barker finished at 1:46.60. Three Green Wave swimmers won two individual events. McDonald won both the 100-yard breaststroke at 1:04.05 and the 200-yard individual medley at 2:05.50. Barker also won the 100-yard backstroke at 57.81 and the 100-yard freestyle at 53.52. Drost-Parra won both the 200-yard butterfly at 2:06.55 and the 100-yard butterfly at 58.36. Williams won the 200-yard breaststroke at 2:20.63 and finished second in the 100-yard breaststroke at 1:04.78. Pelka won the 500-yard freestyle in 5:11.89, while Byrne took home the gold in the 200-yard freestyle at 1:53.24. The Green Wave wrapped up the meet by winning the 200-yard freestyle in 1:39.34 to claim victory over West Florida. 

Following her performance against West Florida, McKenzie was named the American Athletic Conference Women’s Diver of the Week.

The Green Wave Women’s Swimming and Diving Team has wrapped up their regular season, finishing 2-4 and the team is preparing for the AAC Championship, scheduled to be held in Dallas, Texas from Feb. 18-20. 

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