FAIRFAX, Va. – The Richmond women’s swimming and diving team showcased their talent at the prestigious Patriot Invitational held at George Mason University today. Following the completion of the first day of events, the Spiders amassed an impressive total of 329 points, positioning themselves favorably in the competition. A standout performance came from sophomore Melissa Nwakalor, who not only shattered her previous personal best but also set a remarkable new school and Atlantic 10 (A-10) conference record.
Breaking her own record in the 50 freestyle, Nwakalor delivered a stunning performance during the preliminary heats, swimming the first leg of the 200 freestyle relay in an astonishing split of 22.28 seconds. In the finals, she matched a record at the pool, clocking in at 22.30 seconds and securing a first-place finish. This extraordinary feat also enabled Nwakalor to achieve an NIC A cut, a recognition bestowed by the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA).
The day was also marked by collective achievements from the Spiders, with eight members recording new season-best times and two setting personal bests. In the highly competitive 500 freestyle event, sophomore Erin Budde advanced to the final and secured a commendable sixth place in the A final, achieving a season-best time of 4:49.83. Junior Natalie Stuart made her mark by recording a personal season-best of 5:00.80 during the prelims, ultimately finishing seventh in the A final. Meanwhile, sophomore Kaitlyn Bauer captured eleventh place in the B final with a season-best performance of 4:59.54, and junior Caitlyn Hughes claimed fifteenth place with a personal best of 5:02.53 in the same session. Additionally, junior Katie Chignell demonstrated her improvement by achieving a season-best time of 5:08.08 in the prelims.
In the 200 individual medley (IM), senior Laura Davis and freshman Gabbie Primiano both excelled. Davis advanced to the finals and shaved a second off her preliminary time, finishing tenth in the B final with a strong time of 2:05.95. Primiano also impressed, finishing seventeenth in the C final with a personal best of 2:03.20.
The thrilling competition continued in the 50 freestyle, where sophomore Presley Baber made a notable effort, finishing eighth in prelims with a impressive 24.21 second swim. Junior Julia Krichev recorded her own season-best with a time of 23.66, placing her sixth. Additionally, junior Caitlyn Hughes rounded out a successful day by posting her best time yet, finishing first in the prelim B final at 23.80 before competing in the B finals, where she placed sixteenth.
In the relay events, the Spiders’ “A” team demonstrated their prowess, securing a third-place finish in the 200 freestyle relay with a time of 1:32.07. The talented quartet consisted of Nwakalor (22.28), Hughes (23.31), Baber (23.66), and Krichev (22.82). Meanwhile, the “B” relay team, featuring Amare (23.70), Chignell (23.71), Weldon (24.33), and Budde (23.79), claimed ninth place at 1:35.53.
In the 400 medley relay, the “A” relay team of Weldon (56.07), Primiano (1:02.08), Amare (54.91), and Chignell (51.37) finished fourth with a solid time of 3:44.47. The “B” relay team finished tenth with a time of 3:51.24, featuring Wieczorek (58.08), Baber (10:05.00), Carter (57.53), and Nwakalor (50.63).
Looking forward, the Richmond swimming team is set to continue their campaign as they prepare for day two of the Patriot Invitational, with preliminaries scheduled to kick off at 10 a.m. and finals commencing at 6 p.m.
**Interview with Coach Kelly Hartman, Head Coach of the Richmond Women’s Swimming and Diving Team**
**Interviewer:** Thank you for joining us today, Coach Hartman. Congratulations on the team’s remarkable performance at the Patriot Invitational! Can you tell us how you feel about the team’s overall performance so far?
**Coach Hartman:** Thank you! I’m incredibly proud of the team. They showcased both individual and collective talent, which is always exciting to see at a high-stakes event like the Patriot Invitational. Scoring 329 points on the first day puts us in a great position moving forward.
**Interviewer:** Absolutely! One standout performance came from sophomore Melissa Nwakalor. She not only broke her personal best but also set a new school and A-10 conference record in the 50 freestyle. How significant is this achievement for her and the team?
**Coach Hartman:** Melissa’s performance is phenomenal and speaks volumes about her hard work and dedication. Breaking both her personal record and setting a new conference record is a huge milestone not just for her but for our program. It really boosts the morale of the whole team and shows what we can achieve when we push our limits.
**Interviewer:** In addition to Melissa’s achievement, it seems many team members excelled as well. You had eight members record season-best times. How do you think this competition contributes to their growth as athletes?
**Coach Hartman:** Competitions like this are vital for our athletes’ development. They get to compete against some of the best talent in the region, which helps them learn how to handle pressure and improve their performance under competitive conditions. Each season-best time is a stepping stone for them, and it shows that our training is paying off.
**Interviewer:** It sounds like a truly motivating experience for the team. How do you prepare the swimmers mentally for such high-pressure events?
**Coach Hartman:** Mental preparation is just as important as physical training. We focus on visualization techniques, positive affirmations, and building a supportive team environment. I encourage them to set personal goals and think about their race strategy beforehand. Understanding that they have a team behind them also helps to ease any pressure they might feel.
**Interviewer:** Thank you, Coach Hartman. As the competition continues, what are your expectations for the upcoming events?
**Coach Hartman:** We aim to build on the momentum from today. I expect each athlete to focus on their individual races and continue to push themselves. If we maintain our confidence and determination, I believe we can achieve even more and have a strong finish at the Invitational.
**Interviewer:** Best of luck for the rest of the competition, Coach! Thank you for sharing your insights today.
**Coach Hartman:** Thank you for having me! Go Spiders!
