Danville, KY – The University of the Cumberlands women's swimming team tallied a new conference record tallying 969 points to win their 14^th consecutive Mid-South Conference Swimming & Diving Championships Saturday night.  In addition to collecting the team title UC also garnered a trio of conference top honors.

Headlining the Patriots performances was Sarah Zoellner, who tallied a pair of wins on the day and closed out the meet winning all three of her individual events to be named the Mid-South Conference Swimmer of the Year.  Bella Hoare was named the Mid-South Conference Freshman of the Year after collecting a trio of individual wins.  Additionally, coach DD Blankenship was named the MSC Assistant Coach of the Year.

The Patriots opened finals with a one-two finish in the 1650 free.  Bella Hoare captured her third individual conference title as she clocked a 17:10.79, which was a new meet record by over 19 seconds. Juliana Lopez Morales posted a career-best time of 17:14.80 to place runner-up in the event.  Those two times are the first and second fastest times in the NAIA this season.  Mara Ellerkamp touched the wall in 18:18.90 to earn a fourth-place finish.

Sara Zoellner pulled away from the field to win the 200 back clocking a winning time of 2:03.63. That time is the fifth fastest time in the NAIA this season.  Addison Ringwald went 2:10.34 to place fourth edging out Bailey Amerman, who clocked a 2:10.53.  Madeline Barbee capped off UC competitors going 2:13.19 to finish sixth.

Zoellner followed that up in the 200 fly clocking a 2:05.27 for the win, which is the second fastest time in the NAIA this season.  Alicja Sedlak went 2:09.82 to place fifth, while Filippa Malmstrom finished seventh with a time of 2:14.46. 

Cumberlands had four of the top five finishers in the 200 breaststroke.  Helena Jarosz notched a season-best time of 2:22.12 to earn second place with the fifth fastest time in the NAIA. Megan Schoenlein went 2:23.38 to finish third, while Moa Nyblom (2:24.71) edged out Kathryn Harrison (2:24.86) by 0.15 seconds four fourth place.  Lauren Cox won the consolation final notching a time of 2:28.77.

UC had a trio of swimmers in the final of the 100 free with Ugne Takuseviciute captured MSC Third Team All-Conference honors after going 52.72.  Celin Ullern touched the wall in 53.45 to place fifth, while Victoria Niska was seventh with a time of 54.46.

In the final event of the meet, the 400 free relay, Hoare, Takuseviciute, Ullern, and Sedlak teamed up for a winning time of 3:31.14.  That time is a new season-best time for the Pats and ranks sixth in the NAIA.

The Patriots will now set their sights on the NAIA National Championship, which is set for March 4-7 in Elkhart, IN. 

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