Posted: Nov 09, 2024
CSM swim team has 'fantastic' meet
OMAHA, Neb. – It was an all-around successful day for the College of Saint Mary swim team.
The Flames hosted their lone home meet of the season and defeated Morningside University 149-52 in the dual meet. College of Saint Mary won 10 of the 11 events, had two swimmers clinch national 'B' cut times and also celebrated its lone senior – Mia Gauvin – before the meet.
"It was a fantastic meet for us," CSM Coach Liz Germonprez said. "The family, friends and CSM student support was great. We swam lights out.
"We are in the heavy training part of our season but we teched up and swam a bunch of lifetime bests – yes, lifetime bests."
The three most notable swims came from Kylee Brown and Gauvin. Brown made 'B' cut times in the 200 freestyle (1:59.36) and 500 freestyle (5:26.22) to win both of those races. Gauvin got her 'B' cut time of 1:09.76 while winning the 100 breaststroke.
Other first-place individual swims for the Flames came from Gauvin in the 200 individual medley (2:17.71), Naomi Huttenga in the 100 butterfly (1:06.18), Isabella Promes in the 100 freestyle (57.45) and Jaidyn Vanschoiack in the 100 backstroke (1:02.73). In relay action, CSM's 'A' relay of Vanschoiack, Gauvin, Huttenga and Promes won the 200 medley in 1:55.52, while Brown, Kylee Jo Farson, Hannah Steinmetz and Cailyn Nielsen took first place in the 200 freestyle relay (1:47.28). The winning 400 freestyle relay for CSM was Brown, Promes, Steinmetz and Gauvin in 3:49.67.
College of Saint Mary got second-place finishes from Steinmetz in the 200 free (2:07.72), Farson in the 50 freestyle (26.90) and 100 freestyle (59.85), Olivia Poole in the 100 butterfly (1:14.42), Addison Miller in the 500 freestyle (5:47.27), Chloe Hale in the 100 backstroke (1:02.95), Nielsen in the 100 breaststroke (1:13.41) and the 200 medley relay 'B' team of Hale, Nielsen, Emma B'Hymer and Farson (2:00.36).
The day was extra special for Gauvin, who is the only senior on the Flames' squad.
"It's bittersweet," she said of her emotions. "I've watched the team grow over the years and it's been awesome to be a leader throughout my four years. This team is so positive and I love coming to practice after a long day of class."
Gauvin said her goals for the rest of her time at CSM are to "graduate, make nationals in one of my events and get a school record on my own."
The Flames are off until Dec. 5-7 when they race in the Midland Mid-Season Invite in Fremont, Neb.
"We are feeling great going into mid-season," Germonprez said. "This was a great day."
