Columbia, KY – The third-ranked University of the Cumberlands women's swimming and diving team recorded 12 wins and 18 NAIA national cuts in their 166-86 season opening win over Lindsey Wilson Saturday afternoon.  The Patriots notched nine "A" cuts and nine "B" cuts on the day.

Leading the way for UC was Maria Basto, Yuliia Hnidenko, Mendy De Rooi, and Maryann Smith, who finished with a pair of wins each.  Basto took top honors in the 100 back and the 200 back with times of 1:01.28 and 2:11.53, respectfully.  Both of those times were NAIA "A" standards and Basto's 200 back time was four seconds faster than the standard.

Hnidenko continued to show her All-American form by winning the 100 breast with a time of 1:08.04.  She followed that up in the 200 breast, touching the wall in 2:28.14 to take top honors and hit her second "A" cut of the meet.  Hnidenko capped off her meet with a runner-up finish in the 200 IM with a time of 2:18.97, earning her a "B" cut.

De Rooi was dominant in her season-opening performance winning the 200 free by over three seconds and touching the wall in 1:58.38.  The junior also took first place in the 100 fly with time 58.78 for her second "A" cut of the meet.   

Smith had an impressive debut for the Patriots going 2:15.52 to win the 200 fly and clip the "A" cut by four seconds.  She added a "B" standard en route of winning the 500 free with a time of 5:33.72.  Casey Walin and Houston Burgoon tallied UC's last two individual wins of the meet.  Walin won the 1000 free with a time of 11:58.76, while Burgoon touched the wall in 25.91 to win the 50 free.

Burgoon added a second "B" standard in the 100 free where she swam 56.89 to place third.  Teammate Leah Thomas notched one of her "B" cuts in the 100 free (57.11), while earning her other one in the 200 free (2:05.31). 

Isabelle Asserstahl recorded a pair of runner-up finishes and "B" cuts in the meet going 1:11.93 and 2:36.68 for the 100 and 200 breast, respectfully.  Rebecca Loftus capped off the individual cuts going 26.11 in the 50 free.

The Patriots took top honors in both of the relays, including going 1:43.57 in the 200 free relay to end the meet.

Complete results of the meet can be found here.

UC will return to the water Saturday, October 12, when they travel to Barbourville, KY to face Union in a dual meet.  The meet is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.

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