Kansas City, MO – Coming off a success mid-season meet at the Bulldogs Invite, the UC women's swimming & diving team earned 541.04 points to climb three spots in the poll earn their highest ranking of the season coming in third in the latest NAIA Coaches poll, released by the national office Friday. Cumberlands performances are highlighted by 18 performances that rank in the top 15 of the NAIA.

Cumberlands has 13 performances that rank in the top ten of the respective event and 12 that are in the top-five.  Leading the way for the Patriots are Maria Basto, Ali Pecore, Emma Lehmkuhl, and Hanne te Velthuis, who have posted multiple top marks across their respective sports.  Basto is having a career season so far as the only Patriot with multiple individual "A" cuts.  The sophomore broke the school record in the 100 back at the Union Invite as she went 57.28, which is ranked fourth in the NAIA.  Basto is also ranked fourth in the 200 IM with a time of 2:09.00 and fifth in the 200 back as she clocked a time of 5:03.21.

Pecore, the Oshkosh, WI native, holds a pair of top five ranking this season.  She touched the wall in 5:06.21 to achieve a NAIA "A" cut in the 500 free, while she is ranked second in the 200 free with a time of 1:54.43. Lehmkuhl has been a standout on the boards for UC so far this season as she has achieved the NAIA cut on both one-meter and three-meter.  The freshman's best mark of 215.35 on one-meter came against Berry, while she tallied a 198.90 in the season-opener at Union on three-meter.

Te Velthuis has been one of Cumberlands most consistent performers with as she is ranked in scoring positions in all three sprint free events.  Her time of 1:54.88 in the 200 free is fourth-best, while she has swam 24.50 and 53.11 to be ranked 15^th and 12^th on the season.

Two other Patriots are sitting just outside the top ten as Anastasiia Shatalova is ranked 11^th in the 100 free (53.04) and Isabella Cooksey is ranked 12^th in the 400 IM with a mark of 4:43.14.

Cumberlands has four relays that are ranked in the top-five of the NAIA, including holding the third fastest time in three different relays.  UC's 200 free relay, 400 free relay, and 200 medley relay are currently ranked third, while their 800 free relay is ranked fourth.

Keiser earned 621.84 points to be ranked atop the poll, while Olivet Nazarene is ranked second with 541.39. UC is the highest of four Mid-South Conference schools to be ranked in the poll.

Cumberlands has concluded the 2021 portion of their schedule with a 4-0 mark in dual meets.  The Patriots will return to the water on Friday, January 14^th, when they travel to Wilmore, KY to face Asbury and Lincoln in a double-dual meet. 

For the latest and most up-to-date information on University of the Cumberlands Athletics, please visit www.cumberlandspatriots.com. Follow us on Twitter- @UC_Patriots and @UCPatsGameday, Instagram- @UCPatriots, YouTube- Cumberlands Patriots, and Facebook by searching University of the Cumberlands Athletics.