University of Richmond Athletics
Nwakalor Has Record Breaking Day and Spiders Sit Fourth After Day One of Patriot Invitational
11/21/2024 | Women's Swimming & Diving
FAIRFAX, Va. – The Richmond women's swimming and diving team competed at the Patriot Invitational at George Mason today. After the first day of competition, the Spiders tallied 329 points. Highlighting the day was sophomore Melissa Nwakalor who set a new school and A-10 record.
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Breaking her own record in the 50 free, Nwakalor broke the school record and the Atlantic 10 conference record by swimming the first leg in the 200 free relay at a 22.28 split. Later in the finals, she matched a pool record at 22.30, finishing first. Nwakalor set a new personal best and made the NIC A cut for the CSCAA.Â
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Richmond also saw success as eight Spiders set new season best times and two Spiders set new personal bests.Â
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In the 500 free, sophomore Erin Budde qualified for the final and finished sixth in the A final with a new season best at 4:49.83. Junior Natalie Stuart swam a season-best in the prelims at 5:00.80. Stuart finished seventh in the A final. Sophomore Kaitlyn Bauer finished eleventh in the B final with a season-best at 4:59.54. Junior Caitlyn Hughes finished fifteenth with a personal best at 5:02.53 in the B final. Junior Katie Chignell swam a season-best in the prelims at 5:08.08.Â
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Senior Laura Davis and freshman Gabbie Primiano proved successful in the 200 IM. Davis moved onto the finals and dropped a second from her preliminary time to set a season-best. She finished tenth in the B final at 2:05.95. Primiano finished seventeenth in the C final at 2:03.20 with a new personal best.Â
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In the 50 free sophomore, Presley Baber finished eighth in prelims at 24.21 with a season-best. Junior Julia Krichev finished at 23.66 placing sixth with a season best. Junior Caitlyn Hughes also closed the day with a season-best placing first in the prelim B final at 23.80. Hughes then raced in the B finals and placed sixteenth.Â
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The Spiders relay (A) finished third in the 200 free at 1:32.07. Swimming in the relay were Nwakalor (22.28), Hughes (23.31), Baber (23.66) and Krichev (22.82). The relay (B), Amare (23.70), Chignell (23.71), Weldon (24.33) and Budde (23.79) finished ninth at 1:35.53.
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In the 400 medley relay (A), Weldon (56.07), Primiano (1:02.08), Amare (54.91) and Chignell (51.37) raced and finished fourth at 3:44.47. Finishing tenth, the other relay (B) finished at 3:51.24. Swimming in this group were Wieczorek (58.08), Baber (10:05.00), Carter (57.53) and Nwakalor (50.63).Â
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Richmond prepares to race on day two of the Patriot Invitational tomorrow morning. Prelims will begin at 10 a.m. and finals will start at 6 p.m.
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Breaking her own record in the 50 free, Nwakalor broke the school record and the Atlantic 10 conference record by swimming the first leg in the 200 free relay at a 22.28 split. Later in the finals, she matched a pool record at 22.30, finishing first. Nwakalor set a new personal best and made the NIC A cut for the CSCAA.Â
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Richmond also saw success as eight Spiders set new season best times and two Spiders set new personal bests.Â
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In the 500 free, sophomore Erin Budde qualified for the final and finished sixth in the A final with a new season best at 4:49.83. Junior Natalie Stuart swam a season-best in the prelims at 5:00.80. Stuart finished seventh in the A final. Sophomore Kaitlyn Bauer finished eleventh in the B final with a season-best at 4:59.54. Junior Caitlyn Hughes finished fifteenth with a personal best at 5:02.53 in the B final. Junior Katie Chignell swam a season-best in the prelims at 5:08.08.Â
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Senior Laura Davis and freshman Gabbie Primiano proved successful in the 200 IM. Davis moved onto the finals and dropped a second from her preliminary time to set a season-best. She finished tenth in the B final at 2:05.95. Primiano finished seventeenth in the C final at 2:03.20 with a new personal best.Â
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In the 50 free sophomore, Presley Baber finished eighth in prelims at 24.21 with a season-best. Junior Julia Krichev finished at 23.66 placing sixth with a season best. Junior Caitlyn Hughes also closed the day with a season-best placing first in the prelim B final at 23.80. Hughes then raced in the B finals and placed sixteenth.Â
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The Spiders relay (A) finished third in the 200 free at 1:32.07. Swimming in the relay were Nwakalor (22.28), Hughes (23.31), Baber (23.66) and Krichev (22.82). The relay (B), Amare (23.70), Chignell (23.71), Weldon (24.33) and Budde (23.79) finished ninth at 1:35.53.
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In the 400 medley relay (A), Weldon (56.07), Primiano (1:02.08), Amare (54.91) and Chignell (51.37) raced and finished fourth at 3:44.47. Finishing tenth, the other relay (B) finished at 3:51.24. Swimming in this group were Wieczorek (58.08), Baber (10:05.00), Carter (57.53) and Nwakalor (50.63).Â
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Richmond prepares to race on day two of the Patriot Invitational tomorrow morning. Prelims will begin at 10 a.m. and finals will start at 6 p.m.
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Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Swimming & Diving
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/ Women's Swimming & Diving
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/ Women's Swimming & Diving
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/ Women's Swimming & Diving
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/ Women's Swimming & Diving
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/ Women's Swimming & Diving
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/ Women's Swimming & Diving
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/ Women's Swimming & Diving
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